Ever since quarterback Geno Smith arrived in a trade, much of the speculation surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders revolved around how to improve the team around him.
While tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are great starting points, the Raiders lack the depth behind those two options to put together a consistent passing attack. Options such as Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen are all still up for grabs this late in free agency. Smith featured in a viral workout with Diggs, suggesting that the two could link up in Las Vegas to give the Raiders a stable veteran connection.
As good an idea as adding a veteran wide receiver sounds, the Raiders seem to be going in a different direction.
The Raiders do not appear to have made any progress in adding a veteran free agent to the receiver room.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore, he answered a question regarding whether the Raiders made contact with any free agent receivers.
“It’s standard practice to check in on a slew of free agents,” Bonsignore responded. “Nothing appears imminent at the moment. The Raiders could turn to the draft to add an impact wide receiver.”
Despite the disappointing development for Raiders fans, these players are still available for a reason.
All three veterans saw serious declines in their stats in 2024, and Diggs is also coming off of a torn ACL. Despite this, they might seek inflated salaries due to their name value, which could result in a significant overpay if teams are not careful.
Not to mention, the Raiders have plenty of intriguing receiver prospects to look through in the draft.
Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan is likely available with the sixth overall pick. There is also the possibility that the Raiders move back into the first round if a prospect like Texas’s Matthew Golden or Missouri’s Luther Burden III falls far enough where a trade becomes reasonable. Assuming the Raiders draft a quarterback, this way gives them a long-term connection that can develop together.
There is still time for the Raiders to consider their options, but choosing a free agent sounds more like a fallback option at this stage.
