In some ways, the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Draft class is still pretty green now. Pete Carroll was, to put it mildly, hesitant to play rookies in the name of trying to win games. So, a 3-14 finish to the 2026 NFL season was the worst of both worlds: A lack of wins and a lack of development.
With Klint Kubiak now in place as head coach, those second-year guys will have an opportunity to earn notable roles from the start this year. This is especially the case in a wide-open wide receiver room for Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr.
If things go according to the current plan, albeit with the door open for Fernando Mendoza to win the job in camp, Kirk Cousins will be the Raiders' Week 1 starter. How long he holds that gig is a question, but it'll be just as important for the Raiders' pass catchers to build rapport with him.
And it sounds like Cousins views Bech favorably, giving fans a reason to still believe in the youngster after some nefarious reports at several stages of the offseason.
Raiders' Kirk Cousins puts some helium in Jack Bech's stock early in camp
Cousins spoke to the media on Wednesday, after the first Raiders training camp practice. He was asked specifically about what he's seeing from second-year wide receivers Thornton Jr. and Bech at this early stage in the game.
After saying he really likes both guys and referencing a hamstring injury that Thornton Jr. apparently dealt with during offseason work, Cousins had a lot more to say about Bech.
"(I) really like Jack's game," Cousins said. "I think he's got really strong hands; he's a great teammate."
Cousins talked about the character of the Raiders' locker room earlier in his podium session. He used that as a jumping-off point to further praise Bech.
"When I talk about kind of the locker room at-large, Jack would be one of those guys I would say is that. He's just a great person, a hard worker, [and] he wants to do it right. I see a lot of ability there."
If someone among the Raiders' wide receivers is going to really step up this season, Bech is a top candidate to do so, as he looks to put what can kindly be called an uneven rookie season in the rearview mirror.
An early endorsement from Cousins, who has worked with a wide array of wide receivers in his career (in terms of skill set, personality, etc.), greases the skids for that Year 2 breakout to happen. Fans have no choice but to hold on to optimism about Bech at this point, and Cousins provided some.
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