As the Las Vegas Raiders keep stacking wins, their approach at the trade deadline looks more like buying than selling. That changes the conversation around Maxx Crosby, whose name has been floated as a possible trade chip, and shifts the focus toward help for the offense, especially at wide receiver.
Brock Bowers made a strong first impression in his season debut, catching 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Pro Football Focus said he lined up mostly in the slot and out wide instead of as an inline tight end, which only strengthens the case that he’s functioning like the team’s WR1. Even so, the Raiders still need a more traditional receiver to pair with him.
They already added Tyler Scott to the practice squad, giving Tre Tucker a former Cincinnati teammate, but general manager John Spytek could also swing bigger if the right opportunity comes along. This week’s scouting list leans into that idea, with a look at offensive additions that could help keep the attack rolling through October.
One name to watch is Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas looked like a star as a rookie in 2024, when he caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns under Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor. But Jacksonville moved on from that staff in 2025 and brought in Liam Coen, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator from Sean McVay’s coaching tree, and Thomas has not produced at the same level in the new system.
His numbers have dipped sharply. Last season, Thomas had 48 catches for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
This year, he has just seven receptions for 88 yards, and in Week 3 he even lost snaps to rookie sixth-round pick Josh Cameron. He’s still a player who has shown legitimate Pro Bowl-level ability, but he’s on the field for only 42 percent of the offensive snaps in a reduced role.
Because of that slow start, the Raiders might be able to land him for a Day 2 pick in the 2027 draft.
Another receiver worth monitoring is Chris Godwin Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is off to an 0-3 start, and Baker Mayfield is on short-term injured reserve with a dislocated thumb. If the losses keep piling up, the Buccaneers could move into sell mode, and Spytek should keep a close eye on his old team.
The Bucs have two young wideouts leading the depth chart in 2025 first-rounder Emeka Egbuka and rookie third-rounder Ted Hurst III. That could make Godwin available if Tampa Bay decides to make a move.
Last offseason, the Buccaneers signed him to a three-year, $66 million extension, but there is no guaranteed money left after the 2026 season. That gives any acquiring team some flexibility if the fit doesn’t work.
Godwin is 30, but he’s healthy after missing 18 games over the last two seasons. Through three games, the 10-year veteran has caught 10 of 11 targets for 111 yards. He could slide into a bigger role in an offense that’s moving in the right direction under head coach Klint Kubiak.
The backfield deserves attention too, especially with Ashton Jeanty’s workload becoming a talking point. His ankles have been taped and retaped over the last two weeks, and his production has fallen off hard after he ran for 102 yards in the opener.
Jeanty sprained his ankle late in August during practice, has played in all three games, and the Raiders have listed him as a full participant in three of four weekly injury reports. Even so, he hasn’t looked explosive and has averaged fewer than three yards per carry over the past two weeks.
Klint Kubiak said rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. has earned more carries, and Washington has impressed since training camp. The Raiders may need to split the workload out of necessity as much as design, and they already added Owen Wright to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Spytek can still look for more depth, and Antonio Gibson fits the profile. He brings a hybrid running back-receiver skill set, with 3,287 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns plus 1,495 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns from 2020 to 2025. Gibson tore his ACL about a year ago while with the New England Patriots, but if he’s fully recovered, the 28-year-old could give Las Vegas useful depth, especially on third downs.
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