HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) have overachieved this season as the Los Angeles Rams (2-4) limp into Allegiant Stadium.
The rebuilding Raiders didn’t get the memo about the rebuild, as they have a chance to upset the unanimous pre-season Super Bowl favorite without fighting for their post-season life.
Reality of the 2026 Season
Since the Raiders decided to move on from Pete Carroll last December, after a complete collapse of the 2025 season, GM John Spytek's plan has been thorough and disciplined. Spytek is blameless in the 2025 collapse, but has been charged with the recovery.
2026 was a rebuilding year; 2027 is the season to make sure all is right, and the expectation is that the Silver and Black get into the NFL Playoffs in 2028 and never look back.
The 2026 team didn’t get the memo.
Overachievers
The team knew coming into the season that they didn’t have a true WR1. They also knew that they don’t grow on trees. With the way the impressive NFL Draft fell, the Raiders had no chance to get one via free agency or trading up, but that was OK.
The disciplined leader of the Silver and Black, John Spytek, wasn’t going to mortgage the future on one player; that didn’t match the cost. The Raiders would love to make a move for a true WR1, but they'd only do so if it matched the value.
What Is a WR1?
So many people think that putting a WR1 on the field is easy. Stunningly, someone suggested recently on one of my podcasts that the Raiders “Trade Kirk Cousins” for Justin Jefferson, or that Spytek should be on the chopping block for not picking one in the NFL Draft.
Clearly, delusional suggestions like that don't come from bad people, but from people who don’t understand the game.
An NFL executive who saw my podcast and the suggestion of Cousins for Jefferson reached out to chuckle about it.
I told him that for this article, I was going to explain what a true WR1 is, and he sent me this to show how his franchise defines that position. It just isn’t putting anyone out there, and it isn’t a short receiver like the Raiders' Tre Tucker (5’8”), who is an excellent player, but a WR2.
Here is how my friend’s franchise defines the position of WR1:
“A true WR1 in the NFL is a dominant, scheme-proof receiver who consistently demands top coverage yet produces high-volume yardage and touchdowns. Ideally 6’1” and 200 pounds, we have seen a Steve Smith Sr. fulfill the role at a smaller size like Drew Brees at QB, but both men are considered outliers and not within normal parameters. The true WR1 will generate exceptional target volume, win against press-man coverage on any route, and elevate their entire offense by drawing double teams that open up opportunities for teammates.”
NFL Executive
What Happened: Stoking the Fire?
We reported repeatedly that the Raiders didn’t have a WR1, but there was no panic. The disciplined Spytek and Kubiak, for that matter, were not willing to take the process off the rails to chase a player or overpay.
When the Raiders came storming out of the gate with a 3-0 start, it was a clear overachievement, and when they almost beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the expectations of a malnourished fan base were set on fire.
With each win in the first three weeks of the season, the glaring hole became obvious, and fans' aspirations shifted from a disciplined rebuild to a full emotional push for the playoffs.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr. was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Coming into that year's NFL Draft, there was immense excitement about him joining the league.
One GM, who is highly successful in the league’s annual player selection process, evaluated Harrison Jr. like this:
“If you take off his jersey so you don’t see his dad’s name, and that he plays with Ohio State who has more talents than some NFL teams, in my opinion he might be the third best wide receiver in this league.”
He added, “He played with exceptional talent, but each week in college isn’t like each week in the NFL. I am not buying the hype.”
Reality vs. Fiction
Harrison Jr. entered the league and nearly instantly had off-field business issues. On top of that, he had multiple QBs and coaches over his less than two and a half years in the NFL, with low production, questionable effort, and football issues. In fairness to the young man, none of the issues around him were off-field or character issues.
With the Raiders season heating up, and Harrison’s production going south when it quietly became known around the NFL that the Cardinals were willing to trade him, the Raiders did their due diligence.
When the Raiders realized what the Cardinals were asking, the Silver and Black were not interested at all. In fact, a source close to the situation told me, “If the cost doesn’t match, no way you make that move.”
I reported that immediately. The story, was that there was no story.
As soon as the national media reported Harrison’s availability, they mentioned the Raiders had a need.
The problem was that he isn’t a WR1, and his track record of essentially unimpressive production with multiple coaches and quarterbacks took the Raiders out of the discussion; that never went anywhere.
No one questions that Harrison Jr. can play WR in the NFL, but he clearly isn’t a WR1 and didn’t hold the value the Cardinals were trying to get. More on that in a moment.
Raider Nation
Raider Nation, however, got played as social media " took off.” Rumors flew, despite my repeatedly shooting them down, because of the outlandish cost and the reality of production. The Raiders are looking for answers, not drama, question marks, and other people’s problems.
Some on social media had a field day stoking the fires of a hungry fan base with baseless rumors that got clicks but had no substance, like the Raiders being in it.
Prompting one member of the Raiders organization to say, “Who believes this (excrement)."
Fleeced
Essentially, the Houston Texans overpaid, bidding against themselves for a player the vast majority of NFL teams saw the same way the Raiders did. They gave up a second-round pick to reunite Harrison Jr. with his college QB, CJ Stroud.
One NFL executive for this article said, “The days of the Raiders being that team are long-gone. That isn’t how Spy (John Spytek) does business. He will talk, listen, and even jump in the fray for anyone, but it has to make sense. He isn’t cheap, he just ain’t buying a Vega, for the cost of a Corvette.”
He added, “The way he and Tom (Brady) think, look at (Tyler) Linderbaum and (Klint) Kubiak, they would rather buy the Corvette, they aren’t cheap, but they aren’t stupid. Houston got fleeced.”
Bottom Line
Did the Raiders check in? Yes. Were they ever legitimate players? Not after the initial look. A lot of people played Raider Nation, but the ones who didn’t, and deserve a ton of credit, are the Raiders.
They understand they will put maximum effort into getting a WR1 next year.
They also understand it will happen when they decide to, not out of panic. The Raiders weren’t a true WR1 away from a Super Bowl; even if they were, Marvin Harrison Jr. isn’t one.
They have a long way to go, but you can already see how much closer they are today than last year. Why?
Because John Spytek is one of the smartest GMs in the NFL, and the Raiders are finally disciplined.
Or, as the executive said, “It’s gotta be nice for the fans (Raider Nation) to be able to talk about their team using terms like discipline, smart, and steady. Been a long time. Good for them.”
The Raiders may very well trade their second-round pick next season (the ultimate cost the Houston Texans paid), or perhaps they use it.
However they spend it, remember it could have been spent on a player who had only proven he isn’t a WR1 in the NFL.
When that happens, remember to silently say, “Thanks, John,” and start listening to those who know what is going on.
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