The Las Vegas Raiders' rookie class has not provided much production for the team through the first nine games of the 2025 NFL season. While some of that is due to their own shortcomings, the coaching staff also shoulders some of that blame for failing to get them involved.
As the team sits at 2-7 heading into their Week 11 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, that should change. The team's postseason hopes have faded, and it is clear that the focus should be on evaluating and developing their young talent for the betterment of the future.
Parting ways with Jakobi Meyers ahead of the trade deadline signaled that the franchise could finally be ready to make that decision. The move could also set Jack Bech up to be a breakout player in the second half, beginning with the Raiders' Monday Night Football meeting with the Cowboys.
Jack Bech could be in line for a big second half of the season
Bech has had a rough start to his rookie campaign. While the second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has been active in all nine games, he has played just 27.5% of the offensive snaps. He has recorded just 7 catches for 73 yards, doing little to show fans why he was a top-60 pick.
Despite his lack of production over the first half, Bech could be primed to have a breakout over the final eight games of the year. That prediction may seem odd, as he has played just 11.3% of the snaps over the past two weeks and barely saw an increased role after Meyers was traded.
But as the season progresses and Las Vegas falls further out of contention, the rookie will see a larger snap share. Bech was targeted just 11 times in the first half of the year, and he made the most of his opportunities. So, with a bigger workload should come a bigger impact.
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The rookie wideout showed that he can be an effective player in the final season of his college career, as he finished with over 1,000 yards and 9 touchdowns. While he hasn't shown anything of the sort since joining the Raiders, the potential remains there.
A breakout from Bech would rely on Geno Smith targeting him more frequently. Unfortunately, Bech has gotten more than two targets just once this year. But Las Vegas' passing attack will have a golden opportunity in Week 11, as the Cowboys have the 29th-best passing defense in the NFL.
This favorable matchup for the offense should give Bech the chance to justify the Raiders' front office's decision to draft him in the second round. It could also provide him with a bit of confidence and momentum to have a strong second half of the season.