The Raiders didn’t hand Jalen Nailor a three-year, $35 million deal in March just to watch him blend into the background. But through three games, that’s where the production line sits: five catches, 52 yards, 11 targets.
That’s not the kind of output anyone pictured when Las Vegas brought him in from Minnesota, especially after four seasons with the Vikings never really produced a steady, featured role. Still, the early answer in Las Vegas has been more complicated than a simple slow start. Nailor hasn’t been piling up numbers, but he has been doing work that doesn’t always show up cleanly in the box score.
A lot of the passing-game frustration has come from the way the offense has unfolded. Kirk Cousins hasn’t pushed the ball downfield much - or well - in two of the three games so far, and in the one exception, the Week 2 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tre Tucker was the one in the spotlight.
Even so, the Raiders can’t just wait for the stat sheet to catch up. Getting more out of Nailor is going to take both smarter game-planning and better finishing from the receiver himself. The encouraging part for Las Vegas is that the less visible stuff has been there.
Nailor hasn’t been an overwhelming blocker, but he has shown a willingness to mix it up, and that matters in an offense that values players who will do the dirty work. Kubiak clearly likes that trait, and Nailor has given him reason to keep trusting him in that area.
He also showed up in ways that helped others. In the breakdown of Brock Bowers’ season debut against the New Orleans Saints, Marcus Johnson pointed to Nailor’s role in helping free the tight end for key gains.
One example came on a route against Jonas Sanker, where Nailor’s outside release helped create the 1-on-1 that led to a first down. Another came on a choice route against the blitz, with Bowers’ movement helping Nailor create what amounted to a pick for an easy catch.
That kind of detail work tends to get noticed by coaches in real time and again on film. It can also be the kind of thing that earns a player more chances later, when the matchup and the plan line up.
With Bowers drawing so much defensive attention, there should be openings for others, and Kubiak is the kind of play designer who likes to build those chances over time. Nailor may be headed for one of those moments. When it comes, he has to make it count.
So yes, the Raiders need more from him. That much is clear.
But it’s also fair to say Nailor has already contributed to the 3-0 start in ways that don’t jump off the page. The next step is turning that behind-the-scenes value into numbers that show up on Sundays.
In Other News...
Raiders Head Into Chiefs Test With One Big Availability Problem
The week leading into a trip to Kansas City has already turned into an availability check for Las Vegas, with Klint Kubiak navigating a long list of injured and limited players before a matchup that will demand as close to full strength as possible. Brock Bowers, Darien Porter, Treydan Stukes, Ashton Jeanty, Jack Bech and Jackson Powers-Johnson have all been part of the conversation, leaving the Raiders trying to sort through who can actually be counted on in a game that rarely leaves much margin for error.
The timing makes the contrast even sharper because the Chiefs enter the week in far better shape, with only Josh Simmons potentially sidelined and L'Jarius Sneed limited in practice. For a Raiders team trying to steady itself early in the season, the concern is not just the names on the injury report but how thin the margin gets if more than one of them cannot go against a division rival that is usually ready to pounce on any weakness. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face A Familiar Threat In AFC West Test
The Raiders head into Week 4 facing the kind of AFC West test that can expose every crack in a defense, and the biggest concern is Kansas Citys ground game. Las Vegas has had trouble stopping the run, and the Chiefs have built a rushing attack that can tilt a game early if it is not checked at the line of scrimmage. For a Raiders team trying to settle in under Klint Kubiak, that makes this matchup about more than divisional bragging rights.
Kenneth Walker III only sharpens the challenge. The former Raider is now part of a Chiefs offense that already has a clear identity on the ground, and his familiarity gives this game an extra layer of intrigue for Las Vegas. The Raiders know what is coming, but knowing and stopping it are different things, especially in a division game where one sustained run drive can change the feel of the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Receiver Shuffle Puts Unexpected Spotlight On Cody White
The Raiders receiver room took another hit this week when Jack Bech was placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm, prompting a quick reshuffle on the depth chart. Las Vegas answered by signing Cody White to the active roster, waiving Justin Shorter and bringing Phillip Dorsett II onto the practice squad as it tries to keep the position group stocked and stable.
White now gets a bigger stage after making the most of his chances in limited work, especially in the red zone. He has turned all three of his catches into touchdowns this season, and with Bech sidelined the Raiders suddenly have a little more reason to see whether that efficiency can translate into a larger role. [Read more 🡒]