What QB Means for Raiders' Pass Catchers

The Las Vegas Raiders' pass catchers will have to take another step forward to help out the starting quarterback.

Nov 26, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) and tight / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have an impressive group of wide receivers and tight ends who can make big plays. 

They will need those players to step up again this season, as the Raiders will either have a second-year quarterback in Aidan O’Connell or a journeyman in Gardner Minshew. 

Thankfully for the Raiders, all of their pass catchers are capable of being reliable safety nets for a quarterback who may be prone to make mistakes. 

Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme should also allow Raiders’ receivers to make plays. His passing game is play-action heavy, which should allow tight ends to do work over the middle of the field or allow wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers to win one-on-one looks. 

It also calls for running backs to get open in the passing game, something free-agent addition Alexander Mattison has made a career out of. If O’Connell or Minshew needs a quick check-down, Mattison will be there, and he can make a big play out of just a few yards. 

Meyers will be a focal point next season. He had an excellent debut season in the Silver and Black, consistently coming up clutch and moving the chains for the Raiders when they needed it. 

He also caught eight touchdown passes, the most in his career. Not only was he a chain-mover, he was also a red-zone threat. 

Meyers may not have to be a heavily targeted player in the red zone this season, but it is nice to have that option if you’re O’Connell or Minshew. Meyers will again be a big-time safety net for a Raiders quarterback. 

Nothing is better for a quarterback than a reliable tight end that gets open. The Raiders happen to have two of those. 

Second-year player Michael Mayer showed flashes of stardom that made his fall into the second round so confusing. He is a big-bodied tight end who can run routes and has impressive hands. 

Now that rookie Brock Bowers is in the mix, the Raiders will always have at least one potential star tight end on the field. That is a luxury any quarterback would love to have. 

The Raiders need their quarterback, whoever ends up starting, to play well if they want to return to the playoffs. However, they will also need help from their weapons in the passing game.

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