Raiders WR a healthy scratch, won’t make season debut vs. Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —Wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. won’t play for the Las Vegas Raiders in Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Thornton was listed as inactive for the game despite being healthy and back on the 53-man roster for the first time this year as of Tuesday after suffering a knee injury during training camp.

“He’s got to take the spot of another guy, so he’s got to go beat out somebody,” coach Klint Kubiak said Wednesday when asked what he needed to see from Thornton to take the next step after having used up his 21-day practice window.

Wide receiver Jack Bech will make his return after missing four games with a broken forearm. Bech, a second-round pick in 2025, has five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on the season.

Offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is active. He missed Thursday’s practice with a back injury, but practiced Friday on a limited basis. Rookie Trey Zuhn III was expected to take on an expanded role even before Powers-Johnson was injured.

Wide receiver Malik Benson — for the first time this season — safeties Tristin McCollum and Dalton Johnson, guard Bryce Cabeldue and defensive tackle JJ Pegues are also inactive for the game.

Defensive end Cian Slone is set to make his NFL debut. He’d been elevated from the practice squad in each of the last two weeks only to be inactive on gameday. He is active Sunday, along with defensive tackle Tim Keenan III, who has been elevated a second consecutive week.

The Jets will once again be without running back Breece Hall, who is recovering from a quad injury.

Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.

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