The Athletic’s Tashan Reed believes WR Jack Bech will have to improve as an outside receiver if he’s going to function as a starter.
The Raiders, per Reed, have a “logjam” in the slot, as Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers are slated to operate primarily from the slot in 2025. Reed said Bech, a second-round selection in the 2025 draft, is “best from the slot,” but might not get many chances to play from there as a rookie. Bech, Reed added, “has some work to do to make up ground on Dont’e Thornton and Tre Tucker, both of whom worked well ahead of Bech in offseason practices. Reed said “Thornton stood out the most among the group during OTAs. He’s just different physically — he’s 6 feet 4 and has blazing speed — and is working on the nuances of route running and increasing his knowledge of [Chip] Kelly’s scheme.” It appears Thornton will start the season locked into three-wideout sets barring any setbacks in the preseason or during training camp.