The Las Vegas Raiders had a big offseason, getting significantly better and, more importantly, younger. Most of those moves came on defense, but they did add one weapon for Fernando Mendoza by signing Jalen Nailor to a three-year, $35 million contract with $23 million guaranteed.
Despite fans clamoring for another move at wide receiver, the Nailor signing turned out to be their only major addition at the position. That has left the franchise with a wide receiver room that many believe leaves a lot to be desired.
Of course, the Raiders see things differently, as they believe that Klint Kubiak's offense will maximize the talent of the wideouts on the roster. The head coach's system was one of the main reasons that Nailor was recently labeled as one of the most underrated signings of the offseason.
Las Vegas Raiders' Jalen Nailor could pay off for the offense
Nailor has hardly produced over the first four years of his career, as he was buried behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the Minnesota Vikings' depth chart. He is, however, coming off his best season, as he posted a career-high 444 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 29 receptions.
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay recently labeled Nailor as one of the most underrated additions around the NFL this offseason.
"While Nailor's previous production may not warrant an eight-figure annual salary, the 2022 sixth-rounder's upside and potential as a focal point in a Fernando Mendoza-led passing attack are worth the investment. While the 5'11", 199-pound pass-catcher isn't going to dominate with physicality, Nailor is a speedster with great hands who can turn any reception into a big gain. He's averaging 15.4 yards per reception for his career and had just one drop on 53 targets last season. Given Nailor's athleticism and his ability to line up both outside and in the slot, new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak won't have much trouble scheming up ways to get Nailor the ball in space. Expect him to quickly emerge as one of Mendoza's favorite targets and a key playmaker in Vegas' new-look offense."
Kubiak has proven that he can maximize the talent he has, and it is easy to see Nailor's game taking a step forward as he emerges from the shadows cast by Jefferson and Addison. While Brock Bowers will certainly have the highest target share in Las Vegas, the new addition at wide receiver will likely compete with Tre Tucker for the second-most targets on the team and the most out wide.
The opportunity for a bigger role in the offense, combined with a play caller like Kubiak, could lead to Nailor producing at the highest clip of his career. Although his $11.7 million annual salary felt like an overpay to many at the time, it has the potential to turn into a major steal if he takes the jump that Kay expects.
Fans spent much of the offseason begging for or expecting a wideout who could immediately step into the lead role in Kubiak's system, hoping that the team would invest key assets in filling the need. Nailor has the opportunity to provide that value for a fraction of the cost, which would help take the Raiders' offense to a much higher level in 2026 and beyond.
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