Outside of the running back position, wide receiver was the biggest need for the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. After making the no-brainer pick of Boise State's Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick, the Raiders began to attack their wide receiver problem by adding volume.
After several trades down the board in the second round, the Raiders selected TCU wide receiver Jack Bech with the No. 58 pick. Then, they made former owner Al Davis proud by taking 6-foot-5 speedster Dont'e Thornton Jr. from Tennessee early in the fourth round. They also took a flyer on Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott, who will transition to being a slot receiver in the NFL.
The upper tier of free agent wide receivers remaining is not likely to still be in play for the Raiders, as those players are surely eyeing larger roles elsewhere. However, there are a handful of veteran pass-catchers left that the Raiders should have on their radar to add experience to the room after the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raiders have 2 perfect free agent targets after adding WR talent in NFL Draft
Elijah Moore
Moore still has the capability to be an effective wide receiver in the NFL, but he has found himself in two incredibly poor situations in his first four NFL seasons.
After being drafted by the New York Jets in 2021, he caught passes from a subpar group of quarterbacks that included Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Josh Johnson. When he was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2023, his quarterback situation did not improve.
Over the last two seasons, he has caught passes from Flacco, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Jameis Winston and Bailey Zappe. He was able to improve on his production last season with Winston, however, as he caught a career-high 61 passes in 2024.
He could bring both speed and alignment versatility to the Raiders, and he is still just 25 years old. While it is a bit puzzling why Moore is still available, Las Vegas can rectify this by giving him a shot to compete for a spot on the roster.
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Tyler Boyd
After operating in fairly productive obscurity with the Cincinnati Bengals for several years, Boyd landed with the Tennessee Titans in 2024. With Will Levis under center, his production took an expected hit, as the veteran recorded only 39 catches for 390 yards and no touchdowns.
Boyd has never wowed fans or front offices with his sheer physical tools, and his peak of production is surely behind him as he'll be 31 years old this season. But he can still add veteran leadership to any locker room, and the Raiders' young receivers would stand to benefit from his presence.
He spent nearly his entire career playing second and third fiddle to Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase in Cincinnati, so Boyd would not be clamoring for a larger role. At this point in his career, he likely just wants another chance, and Las Vegas can provide that for him.