The Las Vegas Raiders don't have a Davante Adams-type wide receiver anymore, nor do they even have a Jakobi Meyers-level pass-catcher out wide. But they have Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and a crew of promising young wideouts, and that seems to be who the Raiders are rolling with in 2026.
But Las Vegas continues to get dragged for only adding Jalen Nailor and sixth-rounder Malik Benson to the room this offseason. John Spytek clearly isn't worried about the group and wants to see what they have, but the national media seemingly won't let the Silver and Black get away with that.
Free agent Stefon Diggs' name keeps coming up as a potential target, but he checks all of the wrong boxes for the Raiders at this point. And to nobody's surprise, disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown's name is now making the rounds again as a possible Las Vegas target.
Las Vegas Raiders somehow named trade destination for Eagles' AJ Brown
When it first became clear that Brown and the Eagles were headed for a divorce, the Raiders were naturally named a fit, and we argued that the team should steer clear. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is advocating for a Brown-Las Vegas marriage again, though.
"Unlike the Patriots and the other teams on this list, the Las Vegas Raiders aren't expected to be chasing the postseason in 2026. However, trading for Brown would still be logical for a couple of reasons.Â
"For one, Las Vegas will spend the next few seasons developing rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. While the Raiders have put some nice pieces in place for Mendoza, including Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and Tyler Linderbaum, they lack a No. 1 receiver.Â
"Secondly, as Fowler noted, the Raiders might be able to snag Brown for a 2028 first-round pick, which would be huge.Â
"While journeyman Kirk Cousins may play for most or all of 2026, this is expected to be a transition year for the Raiders. Las Vegas won't want to deal what could be an early first-rounder in a 2027 class that could feature the likes of Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Jeremiah Smith.Â
"Dealing a 2028 pick for Brown would maintain Las Vegas' options in 2027 while giving Mendoza a No. 1 perimeter target for the early stages of his career."
Now, that is certainly a compelling argument. And Brown would undoubtedly help the Raiders on the field in 2026 and beyond. But this is still a rebuild in Las Vegas, and giving up any future first-rounders should be frowned upon. Plus, Brown would eat up all the targets and leave none for the young guys.
In what is effectively a trial period, Spytek and Klint Kubiak need to see how guys like Nailor, Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. fit into the long-term equation. And while none of them is a true 'X' receiver, Brown being there would still limit snaps, opportunities and targets for them.
Brown being traded to the New England Patriots when the June 1 deadline hits is practically a foregone conclusion. The Raiders certainly don't need to get into a bidding war for a soon-to-be 29-year-old wideout who costs $23.4 million in 2026 and whose production went down last year.
Not to mention, Brown has a contract that runs through 2033, chock full of void years and hefty cap hits until 2030. Yes, Brown is a great player who could help Las Vegas' offense. But it wouldn't be a wise investment for a rebuilding team that needs resources and young players to develop.
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