Ever since the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders have been a bit destitute at wide receiver. But they still started the year 3-0, even without Brock Bowers for two of those games, in large part because Klint Kubiak's offense got some contributions from unlikely players.
Players like Cody White.
White was a touchdown machine to begin the campaign, and for a few contests, he was actually a very solid option on the outside as the "X" receiver in the offense. His role dwindled as Las Vegas got a bit healthier at wide receiver, but he still deserved a spot on the team.
But when it came time to activate promising young tight end/fullback Carter Runyon from the injured reserve, the Raiders chose to release White in a corresponding move, according to the NFL's official transaction wire.
Nobody should be mad that Runyon is back. But they should be mad that Dareke Young wasn't released instead of White.
Raiders releasing Cody White instead of Dareke Young was an error
Looking at White's stats for the year doesn't tell the full story, but here they are anyway: eight catches for 112 yards and three touchdowns. Yes, a lot of that production was bunched into a few games, as he hasn't caught a touchdown since Week 3 and has made only one grab since Week 5.
At least White is a threat on offense, though.
Young has totaled just two catches for 36 yards and no touchdowns this year, and he hasn't caught a pass since Week 4. Sure, White played twice as many offensive snaps, but he more than doubled his production, and those reps were earned. White established himself in Las Vegas in just weeks.
He is a receiver who can haul in contested catches, demand a bit of attention on the outside as a big body, and White can run-block effectively as well. While Young is also a large player, it's not like Kirk Cousins is throwing jump balls to him; he's a speedster in a big frame. The Raiders have one of those.
What the Raiders don't have is a player like White anymore after releasing him. And while fans may argue that Young is more valuable on special teams, I would argue that Young has made key errors in that phase of the game this year, from fumbles to missed tackles to missed blocks to bad returns.
Don't forget that in Week 1, White earned a game ball because he chased down a Miami Dolphins kick returner and prevented what would have been a touchdown. It's not like White was incapable of playing teams or being a big contributor in that phase of the game.
And yet the Young love affair continues.
From a pure roster math perspective, it just made more sense to get rid of Young, too. Las Vegas has already used all of its practice squad elevations on White, so even if he lands back on the practice squad, he can't play on Sundays unless the Raiders activate him to the 53-man roster again.
Had they cut Young, he could have immediately landed on the practice squad, and the Silver and Black could have elevated him when they needed him. And perhaps they would have realized that they do not need him as much as they seem to think they do.
With the Seattle Seahawks on the horizon in Week 10, releasing either player was risky. Both have a history in that building and could be easy candidates for Jon Schneider to sign so that Mike Macdonald and his staff could get some inside intel on the Raiders ahead of their matchup.
But White is way more likely to get signed back, as he spent the entire offseason with the Seahawks. They let Young walk in free agency, so he is much further removed from Seattle. Let's hope that this move doesn't come back to bite Las Vegas, because it's the kind of thing that has over the years.
Carter Runyon being back is underrated boost for the Las Vegas offense
Okay, let's talk about Runyon.
Runyon is a good-sized tight end at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, and he can line up all over the offense, run routes, bring in catches and block well. He's also a good special teamer, as he put all of this on display in limited reps during his rookie season in Las Vegas after signing as a UDFA.
Like so many other players in the building, though, fans just know he has not been maximized. There have been flashes, namely during the 2025 preseason, when he starred with the depth groups, hauling in tough catches and churning out yards with the ball in his hands.
His ability to line up as a fullback, in the slot or even out wide, in addition to his work inline, will be a fun thing for Kubiak to experiment with as well. Runyon has much more athletic ability and pass-catching prowess than Ian Thomas, so he could elevate the three-tight-end sets that have taken over the NFL.
While he may need to improve a bit as a run-blocker, hopefully he has improved over the last few weeks at practice as he's worked back from a foot injury that kept him out all summer.
If there is one position that the Raiders don't need help or reinforcements at, it's tight end. But Runyon may be an upgrade over Thomas, and Kubiak is worried about getting the five best eligibles on the field anyway, regardless of what position they play.
Given Las Vegas' lack of options at wide receiver, maybe Runyon fits under this umbrella. He's got the potential, at least.
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