The Raiders are still hunting for the kind of receiver who can grow with Fernando Mendoza, and Brian Thomas Jr. has re-entered the conversation for exactly that reason.
A new wrinkle out of Jacksonville has made the idea worth revisiting. ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reported that Parker Washington has been Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target in practice and “has always managed to get open.” With that in mind, Thomas could open the season as the nominal No. 2 wideout while competing with the recently extended Jakobi Meyers and No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter.
That setup doesn’t exactly scream long-term certainty. Jacksonville is not expected to move Hunter, which puts Thomas in the middle of a crowded receiver picture. If the Jaguars decide they can’t keep everyone, Thomas would be the player with the most trade value.
That’s why Las Vegas should be paying attention. The Raiders already have two Pete Carroll holdovers in Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton, along with Malik Benson, but none of them look like a finished answer at No. 1 receiver.
Thomas, even with the uneven stretches he’s shown, still offers the kind of upside the Raiders badly need. The highs from his rookie season remain the part worth chasing.
This isn’t the first time Thomas has been floated as a fit in Las Vegas. Raiders fans were talking about him in trade chatter last season, and the idea surfaced again earlier this offseason when Maxx Crosby rumors were making the rounds. Now it has new life because Thomas may not be “the guy” in Jacksonville anymore.
The Jaguars could still simply keep Thomas, Washington and Meyers together and make that the receiver group. But if that happens, it would suggest Jacksonville has already backed off the plan to use Hunter as a two-way player, and the team does not appear to be there yet.
For the Raiders, the fit is obvious. Thomas would be a clear upgrade over Thornton, bringing vertical speed and explosiveness to the outside right away. Put him with Brock Bowers working underneath, a rebuilt offensive line led by Tyler Linderbaum and Klint Kubiak at the sticks, and the offense starts to look a lot more dangerous.
Jacksonville has reportedly rejected multiple trade offers for Thomas, and that probably means the short-term answer is still no. But if Las Vegas is willing to overpay, the door could open. The Raiders already have their quarterback on a cheap deal and have spent heavily in free agency, so premium picks would not be out of the question.
At the very least, John Spytek should ask the question.
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