Unless there’s a seismic shift, the Las Vegas Raiders look set to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall. If that’s the plan, pairing him with a true No. 1 receiver isn’t a luxury—it’s the best insurance policy they can buy.
Oh, and save the “they have Brock Bowers” responses; he’s not a wide receiver. In case you weren’t paying attention this past season, the Raiders clearly lacked a top option.
The Raiders’ teardown is real…
Pete Carroll’s one-and-done ended at 2-15, with sloppy football and a roster that rarely competed. Now John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady are pitching a reset built on discipline and accountability. Fine. But that message won’t survive long if a rookie quarterback is forced to live in tight windows because nobody wins outside.
That’s where a George Pickens pursuit makes sense—not for the splash, but for what it gives Mendoza on Sundays. Mendoza wins with calm, quick reads and solid decisions. The traits of calmness, quick reads, and good decision-making are more effective when a quarterback has confidence in a receiver who can defeat man coverage on the outside, exploit single coverage, and compel safeties to play deeper. Bowers already attracts significant attention from defenses. If Pickens is added to the mix, defenses will struggle to focus solely on the middle of the field.
The counterpoint against George Pickens…
The argument against Pickens is obvious, and it should be treated seriously. His tape and reputation have included stretches of inconsistent effort, frustration, and volatility. The Pittsburgh Steelers moved on. Dallas has lived with the peaks and the headaches. Las Vegas, with its history of star wide receiver swings that became chaos, should not pretend that risk is imaginary.
The question isn’t whether Pickens is perfect. It’s whether the Raiders are stable enough to handle a high-end player with a track record that needs managing—and not let the mess become the story again. If Brady and Spytek really mean “new era,” this is the kind of calculated swing they should be able to vet, structure, and control, not chase on hype.
Pickens wouldn’t be brought in to “mentor” Mendoza—this isn’t some kind of retreat; it’s the NFL. He’d be acquired to create margins: turning third-and-7 into something survivable, making red-zone throws less of a thread-the-needle contest, and delivering a few early explosives so a rookie isn’t forced to grind out every drive. He’s also 24, which fits a real build, not a one-year Band-Aid.
A rookie quarterback’s development is not just about play design and protection. It is about making the right throw and seeing it rewarded. If the Raiders want Mendoza to grow up fast, give him a receiver who makes the field bigger—and make sure the culture is strong enough to keep the talent from shrinking it.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images