By not adding a bona fide "No. 1 guy" this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders took a fairly big gamble on their young wide receivers' development. John Spytek and Klint Kubiak either want to simply see what they have or know that the group is more capable than what they've been able to put on display.
Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor are two players who Raider Nation expects to step up this year alongside superstar tight end Brock Bowers, but 2025 second-rounder Jack Bech needs to be a part of the equation. And based on early reports from OTAs, it sounds like a plan for Bech is already in motion.
What is that plan, though? Las Vegas reporter Jesse Merrick wouldn't say, as he wants (or is required) to keep the team's secrets stowed away. But several other NFL analysts took a look at some specific ways that Kubiak can maximize Bech in 2026, and it is a promising group of ideas, to say the least.
NFL analysts point out several ways Las Vegas Raiders can maximize Jack Bech
During a recent episode of the Just Win Podcast, hosts Ted Nguyen and Marshall Newhouse, the latter a former Raiders offensive tackle, had Yahoo! Sports' Matt Harmon, also the creator of Reception Perception, on the show to talk about Bech.
They dove deep into the film and the Xs and Os and came out on the other side with several great ideas for how Las Vegas can set Bech up for success. Nguyen asked Harmon about putting Bech in space and letting him get YAC (yards after catch) opportunities. Harmon agreed that Bech is capable.
“Yeah, I think the signs are there," Harmon said. "To that point, I was collecting some prospect data on the last couple of classes for some of the guys I was looking at this past year. Honestly, I just couldn't, because we didn't see Bech much last year, I hadn't really considered him as a yards after catch option. But I remember looking back at the prospect data that I had last year, in terms of broken tackles. He went down on first contact on 15% of his what I would call 'In-space attempts.' (This refers to) a play in space where you're actually able to break tackles. It's not like a go route down the field or anything like that. 15% dropped on first contact rate. That's insane. It's one of the lowest I've ever charted. He was definitely a threat as a prospect with the ball in his hands. He's, like I said, pretty good longer-ish player. I love to hear that he's added some size. ... if he gets some size to him, there's definitely more of a yards after catch threat that I think we can get here."
It sounds so obvious now, but it wasn't all that clear when Chip Kelly or Greg Olson were in charge of the offense. Bech was in more of an 'X' receiver role, where he was tasked with getting open in the middle level of the field against the opponent's best cornerback. That shouldn't be his role.
Bech is a bigger and stronger player who can make teams pay after the catch and can win in back-shoulder or jump-ball situations. Nguyen brought up the idea of even sliding Bech all the way in to being an inline tight end, or at least blurring the lines between that and an 'F' receiver.
Nguyen believes that this would highlight Bech's run-blocking ability, which is coveted by Kubiak and his coaches. He began by bringing up how well he thought Bech played late in the season against the Houston Texans and floated an idea about unique alignment opportunities for the young player.
"I could see the potential for him to be a plus blocker in those condensed formations," Nguyen said. "He was even used as an insert on one of those plays, and you know, like Puka Nacua makes a living off of: Play action where he fakes insert, and he runs kind of a crosser or a corner route from that position. So that's definitely potential to be there. And if he can really develop into being an elite blocker, then I think that's where he could really be productive. You could do some 11 and a half personnel stuff with him. And he gained a lot of size. He looks like he's a lot bigger this offseason. I was watching his vertical routes; he wasn't getting dominated. I thought he did a good job of getting a release and at least getting into a position where, if he has a good quarterback that could throw him a back shoulder pass, he could win on verticals that way."
11.5 personnel. I may be late to the party, but I haven't heard that term before, and I love it. Bech is too good a blocker and too strong in space to waste away on the boundary, where he can't win vertically with his speed. He needs more designed touches and to be put in spots where he can thrive.
Kelly and Olson didn't do that for him. But Kubiak can, and it seems like he is already moving in that direction. To put a bow on things, Newhouse talked about Bech's college tape and history of playing the tight end position, and which of Kubiak's former players he could see Bech being.
“I called TCU's games in 2024 and watched all of him. And his big thing was the physicality at the point of attack when he was in routes and then the yards after catch. He turns into a semi running back. He's a thick guy; guys were just bouncing off of his thighs. He really was a threat.”
“And then to rope in the 'tight end and a half' thing, he was listed as a tight end at LSU before he transferred to TCU. So, that's in his DNA," Newhouse pointed out. "And so if they take all that into account and use him properly, to me, he's an asset. He doesn't have the top-end separation or speed of Puka or Cooper Kupp. But the actual willingness to insert and block is half of the battle. Getting receivers to commit in the run game and making it so when you're in these personnel groupings and in these formations, that teams have to respect that, hey, they might run duo right now. Even if that's Jack Bech, he might insert and block our safety, block our weak linebacker. We have to be ready for that. And then you pop the play action pass.”
Harmon fully echoed that point at a different juncture of the podcast and nicely summarized things for listeners or viewers.
"Part of the reason it was frustrating to see him so often lined up as a boundary player and an on-ball option on the outside is because then you can't have him mix it up in the run game in the box," Harmon said. "Like yeah, he can block a corner or whatever, but then you got to come so far in to really get involved in the run game. And I do think that's something that really is a strength of his game. He gives a lot of effort. He's a powerful player. Plays with good size and good technique as a blocker. He can definitely dig things out, even on the back side of runs, and help open things up. I would love to see him detach from the line of scrimmage and even be used as an insert player as a blocker, which also would then help him become a big play threat on play action as well. So yeah, just kind of a missed opportunity, I think, for a player with his skill set."
Clearly, Bech was not utilized properly in his first NFL season. But the good news is that the Raiders have several avenues that they can travel down to increase his effectiveness, and they are all fully within his skill set and what he does well.
To put it simply: Line Bech up in or closer to the slot, let him get his hands dirty in the run game to open up play action and other elements of the offense, and let him get the ball in space so he can run through defensive backs and around linebackers.
If Kubiak can get that done, Bech will be a valuable commodity in Las Vegas in no time.
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