{"id":870209,"date":"2026-04-19T21:18:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T21:18:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/870209\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T21:18:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T21:18:51","slug":"raiders-have-a-special-connection-on-their-roster-that-could-push-a-need-back-even-further-in-the-draft-and-possibly-to-next-offseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/870209\/","title":{"rendered":"Raiders have a special connection on their roster that could push a need back even further in the draft and possibly to next offseason"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Las Vegas Raiders could push their need for another wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft back to this year\u2019s draft, or they could just push it to next offseason.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Las
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApr 8, 2026; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins speaks at a press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCandice Ward-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

With Kirk Cousins expected to start for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026, the team appears set to let rookie QB Fernando Mendoza develop until he is ready to take the field.<\/p>\n

But Vegas can still win games with Cousins. The Raiders have a need at wide receiver. But, with Cousins and Jalen Nailor\u2019s established connection<\/a>, they may be comfortable delaying a WR pick until later in the draft or targeting one high next year. Vegas seems to believe Nailor can be a No. 1 WR in 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited about Jalen [Nailor], because I was with him in Minnesota, and I could see his ability,\u201d Cousins told reporters. \u201cWhen you have Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, it\u2019s hard to get the ball as a receiver because you\u2019re going to target Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, and yet, every time Jalen got opportunities, he showed what he could do. And I think that showed even more there once I left Minnesota.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think to have him here, and now in a bigger role, I think that\u2019s really exciting, because it allows the player to really fulfill his potential. And so, I think he knows that, I know that, and I\u2019m excited to get on the grass with him, and routes on air and in team drills, and just start to build that rapport and really allow him to have a much bigger role moving forward, because I think he\u2019s capable of carrying a bigger role.\u201d<\/p>\n

Has anyone mentioned the fact that Kirk Cousins and Jalen Nailor played together for two years w\/ the Vikings in ’22\/’23? <\/p>\n

Weren’t Nailor’s best years in MIN, but still seems kinda relevant for some reason\ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n

\u2014 Levi Dombro (@leviidombroo) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Raiders\u2019 top-30 visits says they will still likely target a WR high in the draft<\/p>\n

Pre-draft visits don\u2019t reveal draft choices but do show interest. Sometimes teams meet players to gather intel on teammates. The Raiders\u2018 visits<\/a> show that one position stands out. The Raiders have met with Georgia State WR Ted Hurst, ECU WR Anthony Smith, and Texas\u00a0A&M\u00a0WR KC Concepcion<\/a>, Alabama WR Germie Bernard, Washington WR Denzel Boston, Louisville WR Chris Bell, Texas Tech WR Caleb Douglas, Georgia WR Zachariah Branch, and Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. Seven are top-30 visits, indicating the Raiders are seriously considering a wide receiver. Of 15 visits so far, seven are for WRs.<\/p>\n

The Raiders may still end up taking a WR high. But, they have a guy in Nailor who has shown he can be that if given the touches. \u00a0Last season, behind guys like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison<\/a>, Nailor finished with 444 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Nailor also finished with 15.3 yards per catch. That showed that he can be an elite threat in that intermediate to deep part of the passing game.<\/p>\n

On 49 targets in 2025, Nailor had just one drop. Nailor is one of the best WRs in the league at getting first downs. He\u2019s good at both after the catch and catching the ball at the sticks. According to Sports Info Solutions, Nailor had the eighth-best first-down percentage in the league at 79.3%. Nailor was also 24th in average depth of target and 22nd in average depth of completion, two stats that really show how much work the receiver is doing every play and a good metric for seeing just how important a receiver is to his team.<\/p>\n

He can be the No. 1 receiver on this team, and the team still be good enough to win while Mendoza sits. Then, you can use that pick that you would have used on a receiver on a different position. Now, for the record, I still think the Raiders could take a WR before Day 3. But maybe Nailor and Cousins pairing up together changes the way they think about it.<\/p>\n

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Las Vegas Raiders News<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMaxx Crosby opens up on the Las Vegas Raiders\u2019 decision to bring in quarterback Kirk Cousins\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

The Las Vegas Raiders brought in veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to mentor potential rookie QB Fernando Mendoza, and Maxx Crosby seems to love the signing.<\/p>\n