The Raiders didn’t make a big splash at wide receiver in the offseason and the expectation of many is that they will make an aggressive move for a wide receiver after the 2026 season.
There could be trade options involving a few veteran receivers after the season, and the Raiders could also make a move for a wide receiver in the 2027 draft.
Whatever path the Raiders take at wide receiver, minority owner Tom Brady is expected to be a big part of the decision-making process, and he dropped a clue last week on the kind of wide receiver he prefers.
On the New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce podcast, Brady talked about how the Patriots approached the wide receiver position under Bill Belichick and the skill set he considers one of the most important…
“Our team [in New England] was built differently than a lot of others. We didn’t always have the highest paid players. In fact, when a lot of guys would have a chance to get free agent contracts, Bill [Belichick] would trade those guys and let them get paid somewhere else, and then we’d have to replace them with lesser talented players.
One position that’s unique in the NFL is receiver. Ja’Marr Chase makes 40 million a year, Tee Higgins makes 30, Tyreek Hill was making almost 30. We didn’t have those players, so we had to find production from other areas and slot receivers in the NFL [that] don’t get paid top dollar for receiver.”
So in a way, we paired this team receiver group with some rookies and some, I would say, more role type players at receiver because we had these inside players, I’ll call them, that play tighter in the formation, that could still be very productive because they had great route trees and they maybe [did not have] vertical speed… but they had short area quickness. And that short area quickness is what the game is all about.
I would argue, would you rather be fast or have great short area quickness? I’d rather have short area quickness. Football is a game of quickness, not speed.”
Interestingly, the Raiders have drafted three wide receivers since Brady officially joined the team’s ownership group, and none have necessarily been “short area quickness” guys.
Jack Bech was a second-round pick in last year’s draft and to this point, the former TCU standout hasn’t shown the ability to create separation in games or practices.
Dont’e Thornton was a fourth-round pick last year and, so far, he has mostly shown straight line speed and sometimes unreliable hands.
Malik Benson was welcomed to the fold in the sixth round of this year’s draft and based on reports from OTAs, Benson made a positive impression on the coaching staff and media personalities attending practices, including ESPN’s Ryan McFadden.
“The Raiders drafted Benson in the sixth round with the belief that the former Oregon wideout could be a vertical threat who opens up the offense and makes explosive plays,” McFadden wrote last month.
“[Benson] showcased that ability throughout OTAs and minicamp. He and quarterback Fernando Mendoza developed a strong connection during practices. Benson was Mendoza’s go-to target during team drills, especially in the middle of the field. The competition at wide receiver is pretty much wide open, meaning Benson has a chance to create a role for himself in Year 1 if his production continues during training camp.”
Another insider covering the team, Silver & Black Sports Network’s Jesse Merrick, thinks Benson could end up playing more than Bech and Thornton in 2026.
“I think that the rookie Malik Benson outsnaps Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. as a true wide receiver,” Merrick said on the Silver & Black Sports Network podcast last month.
“Don’t factor in special teams here, and possibly [Benson] could even beat them out on special teams too. But for starters, I do like the kids’ game. First and foremost, that’s what I want to make sure I say. He’s obviously a burner, but he also is not afraid to catch the ball over the middle of the field and go and get it when it’s outside of his frame. It doesn’t need to be in the box for him to catch it. I think if you go and watch the film, you will see that. I think he brings enough versatility to move inside and outside as well.”
x: @raidersbeat