Raiders Get Another Receiver Back As Depth Improves

The Las Vegas Raiders continued to get more good news on the receiver front as Dont’e Thornton was activated off the practice squad, according to a report from Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. 

The news follows hard on the heels of the news that fellow receiver Jack Bech will be returning to practice, and the combination couldn’t have come at a better time. 

The Raiders have been getting some offense, but it’s been coming almost exclusively from the tight ends. Thornton sustained a hamstring injury in training camp that took him out of the lineup, but he’ll finally get a chance to show what he can do. 

Like nearly all of the other Raiders receivers, he didn’t do much last season. Thornton was drafted in the fourth round last year, but he caught just ten passes for 135 yards in 15 games as a rookie, per Simmons. 

This could be last call for Thornton, career-wise, at least with the Raiders. Las Vegas is under considerable pressure to create viable targets for quarterback Kirk Cousins, and no one has been able to step up and do that so far. 

The closest thing the Raiders have had to a steady contributor to date at receiver is Tre Tucker, who had a 100-yard day against the Los Angeles Rams. But Tucker’s big day wound up not meaning much as the Rams raced out to a 28-6 lead in what became a largely non-competitive 35-21 loss. 

The Raiders now have a winnable game coming up, however. The New York Jets are reeling at 2-4, and the Jets are in their usual state of chaos, with receiver Garrett Wilson going off in a rant that appeared directed at quarterback Geno Smith, the former Raider, but it was revealed later that Wilson’s comments were directed to Seth Ryan, who relays plays from offensive coordinator Frank Reich. 

It’s a typical Jets mess, and there will undoubtedly be opportunities for Tucker, Bech and Thornton to capitalize, although Bech and Thornton may still be held back depending on how ready they are. A win against New York would even the Raiders’ record at 4-4 and keep Las Vegas in the playoff conversation for at least another couple of weeks. 

The Raiders waived defensive tackle Jonah Laulu from the team’s active roster to make room for Thornton, and Las Vegas also released receiver Jamari Thrash from its practice squad, per Simmons.