Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders need to bolster their wide receiver group, as they are lacking a No. 1 and even a No. 2 receiver. Las Vegas have intresting prospects like Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., but they aren’t proven wideouts yet in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Tre Tucker could be a WR2, but on a contending team, he’s likely a WR3. Still, Tucker is a reliable option, but the Raiders need to revamp the group while determining what they have in Bech and Thornton, as there wasn’t much development in their rookie season with former head coach Pete Carroll.
The Raiders have plenty of cap space when free agency opens, with roughly $91 million to spend,per Over the Cap. Although no wideout in this free agency class has the No. 1 label outside of George Pickens (who will reportedly receive the franchise tag), some players could fill the No. 2 role.
On Feb. 16, The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen floated a potential free agent target for the Raiders: San Francisco 49ers‘ Jauan Jennings.
“Jauan Jennings could be an interesting signing for Kubiak,”Nguyen wrote on X. “Natural fit in the system obviously. High-level run blocker and could be a nice compliment to [Brock] Bowers.”
Jennings won’t come cheap as he has a market value AAV of roughly $22 million,per Spotrac. Moreover, another question will be with the player’s age as he turns 29 before the start of the 2026 NFL season. As a result, if the Raiders were to move on from someone like Maxx Crosby, who is the same age, then would it make sense to sign Jennings?
Nonetheless, Jennings did play for the brother of Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, Klay Kubiak, the Niners’ offensive coordinator.
Should Las Vegas Splurge on Colts’ Alec Pierce?
Still, another wide receiver who will be on the market is the Indianapolis Colts‘ Alec Pierce. Moreover, Pierce is younger as he’ll be 26 before the 2026 season starts. Nonetheless, Nguyen recently stated that he wouldn’t want the Raiders to spend any of their money on the Colts’ wideout.
“I think they still should not waste money on flash-type signings, but using money on the offensive line and solidifying the line to me is money well spent,”Nguyen said on the Feb. 1 edition of the Just Win Podcast.
“I don’t know if they should be in a position to drop $30 million on Alec Pierce or something, but use that money on the trenches. I think it’ll test the competence of a play caller. Having a better offensive line unit and then making up those margins with skilled guys that aren’t as blue-chip.”
Pierce has a market value AAV of roughly $20 million,per Spotrac. However, given his age and the potential for a bidding war, that could go up if a team is desperate for receiver help.
Could the Raiders Go for a Veteran Wideout?
Meanwhile, the Raiders have alsobeen urged to find a veteran wideout such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ Mike Evans, who played with minority owner Tom Brady. Evans might not be the No. 1 receiver that he was in his prime, but he could be a reliable target for projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
“The only thing you want to do is bring in guys who can help your young quarterback,” CBS Sports’ John Breech saidduring a CBS Sports HQ appearance on Feb. 10. “We know they have Brock Bowers. We know they have Ashton Jeanty. So they have the tight end situation settled. They have the running back situation settled.
“Why not go out and get some receivers and some help on the offensive line? I think bringing in a veteran receiver would be interesting, someone like Mike Evans. I don’t know if he’s going to want to go to a rebuilding team, but a veteran who can help Mendoza in his rookie year.”