Getting back on track in Week 7 is now the mission for the Las Vegas Raiders, and there’s no hiding the pressure that comes with three straight losses. Klint Kubiak’s group is sliding in the AFC playoff race, and how it handles this stretch could shape whether the Raiders act like buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
That’s the backdrop for a week that already has plenty going on. A matchup with the Los Angeles Rams brings its own set of challenges, but Las Vegas also has roster decisions brewing and a few key updates to sort through before kickoff and beyond.
The final injury report leaves Mike Washington Jr. as the only real question mark for the Raiders. He’s listed questionable with foot/back issues. Everyone else who was limited or did not participate earlier in the week does not carry a game designation.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Carter Runyon were not activated for Week 7, even though both had their practice windows opened.
For the Rams, Nate Landman is out with a concussion, while Trent McDuffie and Puka Nacua are both listed questionable. McDuffie hasn’t practiced this week, and Nacua left Thursday’s practice with an injury before not participating Friday. Colby Parkinson and Josh Wallace are also on the report.
The Raiders’ wide receiver situation is where things get especially interesting. On Thursday night, Jack Bech posted a photo of himself in uniform on Instagram with one word attached: “Soon.” That naturally got attention, because Bech was placed on injured reserve after Week 3 and is now eligible to have his 21-day practice window opened after Week 7.
Thornton Jr. opened his 21-day practice window on October 7, which means the Raiders could make a call on both receivers at the start of next week. The problem is simple: the roster only has so much room, and only so many spots can go to wideouts.
One possibility is cutting Dareke Young and activating Thornton Jr. when his window ends. But that still leaves the question of what happens if Bech is also healthy.
Las Vegas could move on from someone else, but that raises another layer of questions about which position gets squeezed. If Thornton Jr. isn’t activated by October 28, the Raiders would have to either put him on season-ending IR or release him.
The Week 7 captain group brings a fresh look as well. Isaiah Pola-Mao will wear the special teams title, DJ Glaze gets the nod on offense, and Treydan Stukes will lead the defense.
It’s the first captain selection of the season for all three players, and the Raiders have now gone seven weeks without repeating a captain. Stukes is also the first rookie to be chosen as a captain this year.
Before the Rams game, Kubiak made clear he views the team through the lens of the record. He said, “I just always think about our team.
I'm evaluating our team, and one person as a coach, one player that's playing good or bad is irrelevant. So, how would I evaluate our team right now?
And I evaluate us as a 3-3 team. You are what your record says you are.
We have everything in front of us. We have a really good football team coming into our place this week, and like I just told the guys, everything's in front of us.
So, what's our decision going to be? Is it going to be, 'Oh, here we go again', or is it going to be, 'Oh, let's attack this next game and put ourselves in position.'
And that's what I love about these guys. These guys aren't down.
Yeah, we were down yesterday, but not today. Today we're getting better.
We're making corrections; we know all the good things that we can do. We know what's ahead of us and what we can accomplish as a team, and there's a lot of positivity in that, and that's where I'm at right now.”
And Kirk Cousins talked about how much he leans on other quarterbacks for help, including Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell. “All the time.
When I first met [Mendoza], I said, ‘Hey, let's talk about back shoulders. You're one of the best out there I've seen on tape throwing back shoulders.
I don't think I've done as good a job of it as I could have over my career. Teach me.’
That was the first time I met him. So that's ongoing.
I remember with Aidan [O'Connell], I missed Brock Bowers against the Chiefs early on a third down. Had not played with Brock extensively.
Aidan's been with him for years. The next week, Aidan pulled up clips of him throwing the same exact route to Brock, and we watched him to kind of see what that needs to look like.
The next week against the Patriots, using that clip as help, we were able to hit it. So, you're constantly trying to learn from guys because they do have experiences that you haven't had, and they can help.
And so, you got to be a good question asker and learn.”
In Other News...
Raiders Trade Deadline Could Decide Their Biggest Weakness
The Raiders have spent the offseason reshaping their roster, but one of the old issues is still hanging around. Las Vegas has seen signs of progress up front, yet the offensive line remains a concern as the season moves along, and it has become the clearest area where the front office could still make a difference.
Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko has stressed the staffs detailed, incremental approach to the unit, focusing on small weekly gains rather than treating the line like a finished product. That leaves the trade deadline as a meaningful checkpoint for the Raiders, who have to decide whether to keep developing the current group or look for a move that could stabilize the interior and give the offense a better chance to hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosby Trade Talk Is Heating Up For One Complicated Reason
Maxx Crosby keeps doing what hes always done for the Raiders, which is stress quarterbacks and make life miserable even when the box score does not always fully capture it. Through six games, he has piled up 15 quarterback hits and sits tied for third in the NFL in that category, a reminder that his impact goes well beyond the sack total and into the daily problem-solving that defines elite pass rushers.
Even so, his name has not escaped trade chatter, and that is where the conversation gets complicated for Las Vegas. The league has seen rushers with similar production move for less draft capital than fans might expect, and Crosbys contract situation only adds another layer to the debate, which is why his value keeps coming up whenever teams start wondering what a premium defender is really worth. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Have A Trade Deadline Chance They Can't Ignore
At 3-3, Las Vegas is squarely in the middle of the AFC picture but also close enough to the edge to treat the November 10 trade deadline like a real decision point. The Raiders have already given themselves reason to think about adding help, and one name that keeps surfacing is Indianapolis defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, a veteran lineman who could give the front a much-needed boost if the right deal materializes.
Buckner also fits the kind of conversation that tends to follow a deadline with stakes: he is in a contract year, he has the resume to draw interest, and the asking price would not be limited to money alone. For the Raiders, the question is whether a move that improves the defense now is worth the draft capital it would take to get it done, especially with other teams expected to be involved before the clock runs out. [Read more 🡒]