The Raiders believe they have found a franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza and based on the talk out of training camp in recent weeks, it sounds like they have found a young receiver connection for Mendoza, too.
Raider Nation Radio host Q Myers talked about rookie wide receiver Malik Benson his podcast on Monday and said the chemistry between Mendoza and Benson continues to build “very quickly.”
“As much as I talk about Brock Bowers is always open, I’m never surprised when I see a Fernando Mendoza to Malik Benson pass. I’m never surprised anymore. That just looks like a connection and a chemistry that is really, really building very quickly, and you saw Benson on Sunday working with the 1s and the 2s,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders podcast.
But as Benson continues to rise up the depth chart, one of last year’s draft picks seems to be slipping into a precarious position on the wide receiver depth chart.
Dont’e Thornton sliding down the Raiders’ depth chart?
A year ago, it was Dont’e Thornton hoarding the wide receiver praise at training camp, but the second-year wideout hasn’t been able to stay healthy this year, and some media personalities covering the team have hinted that he isn’t a lock to make the final roster.
Last week, Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter said Thornton could end up being a candidate for injured reserve, but if that doesn’t happen, Myers still thinks Thornton is a safe bet to make the final roster.
“Dont’e Thornton Jr needs to be out there and start working on that chemistry and establishing his spot,” Myers said of the former University of Tennessee speedster.
“This is a guy that I don’t think is going to not make the squad, but… where is he going to be on the depth chart when he does come back? Whenever he comes back from injury, because he has missed a handful of practices now. So that’s not going to bode well for him. Again, I don’t think there’s any chance that he doesn’t make the squad. But how far down the depth chart is he dropping?”
What might not be ideal for Thornton is the fact that Klint Kubiak wasn’t the head coach who drafted him, but GM John Spytek might be inclined to have a little more patience with Thornton considering he drafted Thornton in the fourth round of last year’s draft.
Or was it Pete Carroll who wanted to draft Thornton a year ago?
It has been reported that Spytek and Carroll didn’t agree on some of the picks in last year’s draft class… and it would be interesting to know who Thornton’s biggest supporters in the building were a year ago.
x: @raidersbeat
Then trade O’Connell and let him realize just how good he can be. And clueless raider fans will find out what they were sitting on for so many years.
Thornton is tall and fast, but he doesn’t highpoint the ball. He doesn’t track the ball very well and has no clue how to body the defender to gain position. His only hope is that he is wide open with a perfect pass. I was not impressed last year.
He even dropped some of those balls that were walk-in touchdowns. It almost seems like he’s hoping to get released. Because he will most certainly get resigned somewhere else. See if you can get a seventh round pick form or cut him loose