The Raiders are going into the 2026 season with arguably the most unproven wide receiver room in the NFL, and the proof might be in the fact that Malik Benson has been the most talked about wide receiver on the roster over the last few months.
The Raiders are paying Jalen Nailor $35 million over three years, Tre Tucker is going into his contract year, and Jack Bech was drafted in the second round of last year’s draft.
But the most talked-about wide receiver in OTAs and training camp has been Benson.
Raider Nation Radio host Q Myers talked about Benson’s rise up the depth chart, and he doesn’t think it’s a great sign that a player who narrowly avoided being an undrafted free agent is getting more attention than the veterans around him.
These were Myers’ comments on Benson and the Raiders’ wide receiver room via the Locked on Raiders podcast on Wednesday…
“If we’re keeping it a buck… out of all the wide receivers that are on the roster, we’ve talked about [Malik Benson] the most and that’s a little concerning when it’s a sixth-round pick that we’re talking about.
Not saying a six round pick can’t get it done. Undrafted free agents can get it done. But it’s a little concerning when it seems like the most talented wide receiver you have on your roster is a sixth-round pick that you probably weren’t expecting to have a big role his rookie year.
But he is getting on the same page with Fernando Mendoza. So I give him a lot of credit for that. So that’s really the wide receiver room. I just really want to know not necessarily who’s going to be the number one wide receiver, but who’s going to be the number one wide receiver when it comes to like yards and touchdowns. Who’s going to be the guy that’s consistently able to get open for the quarterback when they need to have it?”
Can the Raiders count on Jack Bech to take on a larger role in 2026?
Bech was a disappointment in 2025, but many pointed to the coaching situation in Las Vegas as one of the big reasons why he didn’t stand out in his rookie season.
In the first preseason game of 2026, Bech had three receptions and a touchdown, and Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter said it was the best Bech has played since the Raiders drafted him.
But in the two weeks since his big day against the Cardinals (he also had a big block in the game), Bech has reportedly been quiet again in practice and didn’t have a target in the Raiders 22-20 win over the Texans.
Klint Kubiak hasn’t said much about the players who will play on Thursday against the 49ers, but it would be nice to see Bech or any of the wide receivers make a statement in the final dress rehearsal before the start of the regular season.
x: @raidersbeat