One way or another, the Las Vegas Raiders were going to find an upgrade at quarterback this offseason. Head coach Pete Carroll's history was ultimately what brought Geno Smith to Las Vegas when his contract extension talks with the Seattle Seahawks went awry.
Next up for the Silver and Black was making a big move to address the league's worst rushing offense from last season. The Raiders took generational running back prospect Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft to solve that problem.
The Raiders, of course, have one of the NFL's best tight ends in Brock Bowers. Their offensive line could also surprise people as a solid group, but there is one piece missing, and the Las Vegas offense will not be complete until it is found.
PFF points to final piece that will fully elevate Raiders' offense
While already looking toward the 2026 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema provided one roster area that each NFL team should be targeting next offseason. For the Raiders, that was addressing what their need for an "Alpha WR1."
"Tight end Brock Bowers was sensational as a rookie, earning an 88.4 PFF receiving grade, the third-best mark at his position. But it’s an entirely new outlook for the Raiders, from the front office to the coaching staff, in particular with Chip Kelly now as offensive coordinator," Sikkema wrote. "That’s not to say Kelly is about to put Bowers on the back burner, but this year's wide receiver room of Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and rookies Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton could have the team looking to add a WR1 next offseason."
Las Vegas could certainly use a more established No. 1 wideout if for no other reason than their experience. While Meyers is coming off a career-best 1,027 receiving yards in 2024, none of Tucker, Bech or Thornton have proven anything yet in the NFL.
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It is also not a knock on him at all, but Meyers is a quintessential No. 2 wide receiver. Rookies Thornton and Bech got strong reviews for their work during OTAs and minicamp, but both are unknown quantities right now. Tre Tucker shouldn't be written off as a potential notable contributor, but even at the top of his possible outcomes, he is not a No. 1 wideout.
Unfortunately, the free agent market is rather slim at this point in the offseason, with Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper and Gabe Davis being the best players available. None of these players are considered top options, so any of them could be a wasted signing at this point.
The last time the Raiders made a big move for a top-flight wide receiver, it did not end well. However, if they are in a position to make that kind of addition next offseason, Pete Carroll, John Spytek and Tom Brady will find someone who fits that bill from a talent and leadership standpoint.