With Davante Adams no longer with the Las Vegas Raiders, the team now has a significant gap at wide receiver that will be difficult to fill this season. Adams, being one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, leaves a void that Las Vegas is unlikely to replace with someone of his caliber.
In the meantime, the Raiders are giving practice squad player Alex Bachman a chance. They recently announced his promotion to the active roster. Bachman, who has been in the league since 2019 and played in seven games, is now part of an active roster for the first time in his career. Bachman himself noted his unusual journey on social media, highlighting that no player has spent more time on a practice squad than he has.
“Six years of work, pain, and patience. Longest tenured practice squad player of all time, and I’ll wear that like a badge of honor. Just keep working. Stay relentless. Thank you, Father,” Bachman posted on X.
Most players either get cut from the NFL or make an active roster before spending six years on a practice squad, so this is a huge moment for Bachman. With the Raiders needing someone to step up at wide receiver, it’s unclear what role he’ll play, though he did have three catches in Week 6 against the Steelers.
### Tre Tucker Ready to Step Up
Other wide receivers on the depth chart have an opportunity with Adams gone, but the Raiders really need their top players to perform. Tre Tucker is the only healthy starting receiver currently, though he didn’t register any catches against the Steelers. Known for his speed, Tucker may have to adjust his game to focus on shorter routes since the Raiders don’t have a deep-throwing quarterback. Despite the challenge, Tucker feels prepared for a bigger role.
“I always tell my coaches: ‘It’s not what you do, it’s the people you get to do it with,’ and [Adams] was one of those guys,” Tucker said. “He’s taught me a lot, and I feel like I’m ready to take that next step.”
If Tucker can emerge as a key player, the Raiders might not need to prioritize finding another wide receiver in the offseason.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Tucker said. “With [Adams] gone, you play a few more snaps, and you might face a top cornerback. But I feel like I’m ready, and I’m not taking that lightly.”
Raiders’ Offensive Struggles
Even when Adams was still playing, the Raiders’ offense has struggled this season, ranking 27th in the league with just 18.2 points per game. With Adams gone and Jakobi Meyers dealing with an ankle injury, the offense could face even more challenges. If the Raiders don’t turn things around soon, they might look towards the offseason for wide receiver help—or focus on rebuilding for a high 2025 draft pick if the losses pile up.
