A Troubling Indictment of Raiders' WR Corps
Surprisingly, wide receiver was one position the Las Vegas Raiders did not heavily address in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Raiders knew they needed pass-catching help, but only signed Jalen Nailor to a considerable contract, also bringing in special-teamer Dareke Young on a short-term deal. They drafted Oregon's Malik Benson in the sixth round.
For a team that had just one somewhat 'proven' option on the perimeter, these additions do not move the needle much. Given that the Raiders are rebuilding, they could have added a more dynamic receiving option (no disrespect to the players they did add).
Others in the NFL media feel the same way about this Las Vegas receiving corps. The Athletic Football Show's Dave Helman called the group, one of, if not the worst receiver corps in the NFL.'
Here's the excerpt of what he said on the latest episode of their podcast:
Raiders WR Room - Worst in the League?
"As it stands right now, the Raiders have to have one of, if not the worst receiver corps in the NFL, in terms of proven production," said Helman. "Even with the addition of Jalen Nailor in free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders have two receivers who have ever had 500 yards in the NFL."
"Tre Tucker had a nice season last year, he went over 500 yards. And then, the other one is Phillip Dorsett, who's been out of football for two years and is back on the Raiders' roster trying to re-start his career at the age of 33."
Breaking Down the Roster
Helman is right. No other Raiders receiver has eclipsed the 500-yard mark in their career.
Granted, the podcast episode was about late-round draft picks that may work out in that team's favor, and he highlighted Benson as a player with a chance to be an immediate contributor for the Silver and Black.
Even though the Raiders are rebuilding, they don't have enough proven options in their wide receiver room to feel confident about that position going forward. They're hoping for big leaps from Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr., but those are no guarantees.
Las Vegas may want to consider adding a veteran option, as there are plenty of capable contributors on the free agent market. That doesn't mean they have to trade for A.J. Brown or sign Stefon Diggs, but someone like Josh Reynolds or Deebo Samuel would be a sensible addition.
The Raiders cannot enter the 2026 season with the wide receiver room in its current shape. There are simple fixes on the free-agent market, and it should be a priority position in next year's draft.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as A Troubling Indictment of Raiders' WR Corps.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM.