Raiders Face Deadline Decision on Thornton After Positive Update

WHO:

NY Post - Dont’e Thornton Jr. is a Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver.

NY Post - Klint Kubiak is the Raiders’ coach.

Heavy NFL - The Raiders have second-year wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. on their roster.

WHAT:

NY Post - Thornton remains on injured reserve as the roster deadline approaches.

NY Post - Thornton assessed himself as healthy; Kubiak has also said Thornton is healthy.

Heavy NFL - The Raiders are thin at wide receiver and could use Thornton back on the field.

WHERE:

NY Post - Thornton plays for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Heavy NFL - The Raiders are identified as the Las Vegas Raiders.

WHY:

NY Post - The article says it is becoming harder to attribute Thornton’s continued placement on injured reserve to his health, given his and Kubiak’s assessments.

Heavy NFL - The Raiders could use Thornton because they are thin at wide receiver.

(UPDATED October 24, 2026 00:10 UTC)

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. remains on injured reserve as the roster deadline approaches, despite saying he is healthy. Raiders coach Klint Kubiak has also described Thornton as healthy, making it harder to explain his continued absence as a health issue. The Raiders are thin at wide receiver, so Thornton could give the team a needed option if he returns to the field. Thornton is a second-year receiver on the Raiders’ roster, but he remains sidelined while the team nears its roster decision. His status leaves a gap at a position where the Raiders could use added depth. Though both Thornton and Kubiak have indicated that health is not the obstacle, Thornton has yet to come off injured reserve. The Raiders’ roster deadline is approaching, leaving his place on the list unresolved.