Getty

Los Angeles Chargers WR Quentin Johnston.

The Las Vegas Raiders offense is trending in the right direction, but there are still some areas that need improvement. The wide receiver room is a concern.

The group doesn’t have a clear No. 1 option. Tre Tucker showed flashes last year, and Jalen Nailor could put up bigger numbers with an expanded role, but it’s hard to see the player with No. 1 wide receiver potential currently on the roster.

What the Raiders really need is a true X receiver. They have a lot of smaller wide receivers who can do work in the slot, but they need a bigger body who can stretch the field. It’s possible that Dont’e Thornton could fill that role, but he still has a lot to prove.

The Raiders could also look to add another wide receiver. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell floated the idea that Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston would be a very good fit for what Las Vegas needs.

“I thought Quentin Johnston, if he wasn’t in division, would make sense for the Raiders as kind of a bigger body guy who can win at all three levels,” Barwell said on the “Just Win” podcast. “And you know, I don’t think you want him as like your classic X like the Chargers had him early in his career, but like move him around, maybe give him more slot reps, which he didn’t really have with the Chargers because Ladd McConkey
and Keenan Allen were in the slot. I think he could be a really fun player. .. There might not be a ton of Chargers-Raiders trades in the years to come.”

Johnston Trade to Raiders Would Be Tricky

As Barnwell noted, the Chargers and Raiders will never be eager to trade with each other. The two teams have to play twice a year. The last thing the Chargers want to do is send Johnston to Las Vegas and have him develop into a star.

The Raiders would have to pay a premium for a player who hasn’t proven to be worth a premium yet. Johnston was a first-round pick in 2023 and had a rough rookie season. However, he has improved every year and had a career-high 735 receiving yards last season.

Johnston would fit in well with what the Raiders need, but it’s highly unlikely a deal will materialize.

Raiders Should Hold Off on Making WR Move Until 2027

At this point in the offseason, the Raiders will have to trade a haul to land a true star wide receiver. There are some good options in free agency, but Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill don’t make much sense in Las Vegas right now.

It would be more logical for the Raiders to hold off on getting aggressive to find a wide receiver until next year. They’ve already done a lot to improve the roster this offseason, but it’s difficult to fill every hole in one offseason.

Next year, the Raiders could add a wide receiver early in the draft or see which big names might be available.