The Oakland Raiders made a series of roster moves on Wednesday, including promoting former Wisconsin Badgers defensive back Nick Nelson from the practice squad onto the active roster.
Nelson was originally a fourth round pick by the Raiders in 2018. In his rookie season, Nelson appeared in 10 games (starting three) and recording 20 combined tackles, one pass defended and one fumble recovery.
He was waived on August 31 of this year but re-signed to the practice squad and he remained there until his promotion.
The Raiders cut safety DJ Swearinger on Tuesday, opening up a spot for Nelson, although his experience is primarily at cornerback and not safety. It’s unclear if the Raiders plan to use Nelson at a new position, or if he will contribute on the special teams and as depth on the outside.
Nelson spent his first two collegiate seasons at Hawaii before transferring to Wisconsin and starting 14 games in 2017, recording 35 combined tackles and 21 passes defended with the Badgers – which topped the entire NCAA.
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