Category: Raiders free agency

Raiders vs Steelers inactives: Veteran WR Kristian Wilkerson sits in favor of rookie Tre Tucker

Rookie WR Tre Tucker will be active while veteran Kristian Wilkerson sits out vs Steelers

It’s Sunday night and the Raiders are about to kick off their home opener against the Steelers, Here’s who won’t be taking the field for the game:

Raiders inactives:

No. 4 QB Aidan O’Connell
No. 29 S Chris Smith II
No. 56 LB Amari Burney
No. 83 WR Kristian Wilkerson
No. 99 DT Nesta Jade Silvera

Once again, most of the Raiders’ rookie class will be inactive. The one notable rookie *not* inactive this week is Tre Tucker, who gets the call while veteran Kristian Wilkerson is inactive.

The only player on the Raiders injury report this week was DE Tyree Wilson who was Questionable with an illness. He is active for the game.

Steelers inactives:

No. 2 QB Mason Rudolph (3rd QB)
No. 48 RB Godwin Igwebuike
No. 60 T Dylan Cook
No. 82 WR Dez Fitzpatrick
No. 89 WR Gunner Olszewski
No. 96 NT Breiden Fehoko

Raiders sign DE Isaac Rochell after Chandler Jones placed on NFI list

With Chandler Jones on the NFI list, the Raiders have signed DE Isaac Rochell to the active roster

After Chandler Jones missed the first two games of the season while he works through some personal issues, the Raiders pulled the trigger this week and placed him on the Non-Football Illness list.

Placement on NFI means Jones will miss at least four games. With a roster spot open and depth issues at defensive end, the Raiders officially signed Isaac Rochell to the active roster.

Rochell spent the offseason with the team, and impressed in camp and preseason. He was signed to the practice squad and elevated for the first two games of the season to replace Jones. Now with Jones officially out, Rochell is officially in.

To fill Rochell’s spot on the practice squad, the Raiders added LB Mykal Walker.

Raiders re-sign veteran DE Jordan Willis to practice squad

Jordan Willis is back with the Raiders

At least from my perspective, the Raiders cutting Jordan Willis after training camp was a bit of a surprise. The veteran former 49ers edge rusher signed on in Las Vegas this offseason and had a decent camp and preseason. But ultimately he was among the team’s cuts to get down to 53 players.

While ultimately he may make his way back to the Raiders’ regular season roster, the team got one step closer to that possibility today by adding him to their practice squad.

With Chandler Jones having some off-field personal issues that had him miss the season opener and his future with the team uncertain, the Raiders activated DE Isaac Rochell from the practice squad on Sunday for depth purposes.

It seems very possible Willis would be a strong candidate to be called up to replace him in Buffalo in week two. And should the team make an official roster move regarding Jones, Willis could find his way onto the regular season roster after all.

7 recently cut or waived players Raiders should consider adding

Still some talent out there to be had from roster cuts. Here are 7 of them the Raiders should consider adding.

There are always a few players that teams cut who instantly stun a lot of people. Many of those players are talented enough or fit another team’s need so well, that they are scooped up quickly or claimed off waivers. But not all of them.

Some players still slip through and either remain unsigned or join a team’s practice squad.

Either way, what many refer to as the “final 53-man roster” is anything but final. A better term is “initial 53” because more moves inevitably occur afterward.

Sometimes those moves are a team seeing a player or players become available that they like better than those they kept initially. Other moves include injured players who the team expects to have back in short order, but in order to be added to the IR Designated for Return list, those players must be on the roster after the initial cuts are made.

Now that the dust has settled from the cuts, signings, and claims, I have compiled a list of those players still out there who the Raiders should consider adding this week as they prepare for the season opener.

Raiders 2023 Team Captains includes newcomers Robert Spillane, Marcus Epps

Raiders announce 9 Team Captains including Josh Jacobs, Robert Spillane, Marcus Epps

Today the Raiders named nine team captains. Four on offense, three one defense, and two on special teams.

Those captains are as follows:

Offense

QB Jimmy Garoppolo
RB Josh Jacobs
WR Davante Adams
LT Kolton Miller

Defense

DE Maxx Crosby
LB Robert Spillane
S Marcus Epps

Special teams

K Daniel Carlson
P AJ Cole

Of note among the captains is Josh Jacobs who just took the practice field for the first time this week after sitting out all of camp until he received a new one-year deal in lieu of signing the franchise tag.

Also of note is Robert Spillane and Marcus Epps who signed with the team this offseason. They were chosen over returning starters at those positions Divine Deablo and Tre’von Moehrig.

Third year starting cornerback Nate Hobbs may have also been a fine choice as a captain. But no players who were captains last season were stripped of that status this year.

Broncos signed recently released former Raiders WR Phillip Dorsett

Former Raiders WR Phillip Dorsett signed by Broncos

One of the moderately surprising cuts by the Raiders has already found a new home. He is joining the rival Broncos.

The Broncos signed Dorsett today, a day after the Raiders made him one of the players they released to get down to 53 players.

Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels was familiar with Dorsett from their time together with the New England Patriots. But it was former Patriots receiver Kristian Wilkerson who McDaniels opted to keep instead.

While Dorsett is more established, Wilkerson is four years younger (26) and more of a ‘dirty work’ type of receiver. Dorsett has always been a speed guy and the Raiders like DeAndre Carter in that role.

In the end, the Raiders still kept six receivers, which is pretty much the maximum number. You can’t keep everyone. Dorsett landed on his feet elsewhere so it worked out for everyone.

2023 Las Vegas Raiders practice squad tracker

2023 Las Vegas Raiders practice squad tracker

The Las Vegas Raiders have officially cut down their roster to 53 players. There were some surprising moves made by the front office, including the trade of second-year defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. and the release of (former) starting right guard.

But now that the cut-down day has passed, the Raiders can start filling out their practice squad, beginning at 12:00 PM ET. Here is a tracker to keep you updated on all of the practice squad signings by the Raiders for the 2023 season.

(This page will update all week long, so be sure to bookmark it to stay updated on the latest practice squad signings.)

Several Raiders players get new numbers as they make 53-man roster

Raiders once had a 00. Now they have a 0 for the first time in franchise history.

Camp is over, which for many players means their camp numbers are gone too. With so many players being cut from the roster, it opens up a lot of possibilities for number changes as well.

A few players took advantage of the opportunity to change up their numbers.

0 – CB Jakorian Bennett

He becomes the first Raiders player to ever wear the number 0. The Raiders, of course, had 00 Jim Otto, but no single zero. Bennett was number 29 in camp and preseason.

14 – WR Tre Tucker

The rookie gets himself a number in the teens. He was wearing number 89 in camp and preseason while Chase Garbers wore number 14,

29 – S Chris Smith II

Smith nabs the 29 worn by Jakorian Bennett. Smith wore the number 42 in camp.

81 – TE Austin Hooper

Hooper gets the Tim Brown special. Cam Sims had worn it in camp while Hooper had worn number 82.

99 – DT Nesta Jade Silvera

Silvera wore number 97 in camp while Jordan Willis wore 99 and was cut.

Raiders clear up picture at wide receiver with release of veterans Keelan Cole, Phillip Dorsett

WR picture gets clearer for Raiders with release of vets Keelan Cole, Phillip Dorsett

And in one fell swoop, the Raiders have given us a better idea of what the Raiders wide receiver room will look like this season.

With the cutdown deadline fast approaching, the team has notified Keelan Cole and Phillip Dorsett they will not be on the initial 53-man roster, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL media.

With four of the wide receiver spots looking to be set, it leaves one or two spots up for grabs and three receivers left to take it/them.

The four spots that are set are:

Davante Adams
Jakobi Meyers
Hunter Renfrow
DeAndre Carter

The three receivers vying for either the final spot or final two spots are Tre Tucker, Kristian Wilkerson, and Cam Sims.

Tucker looked terrible in preseason, dropping passes and muffing kicks. The only thing he may have going for him is being a third round (100 overall) rookie. But will that be enough?

Both Wilkerson and Sims made solid cases for their retention this preseason. Wilkerson in particular had a monster final preseason game in Dallas, with 10 catches for 122 yards. Sims had highlight reel grabs in both the final two preseason games. The first a toe-tapping touchdown against the Rams and the other a leaping 22-yard grab against the Cowboys.

Wilkerson is more of a possession receiver while Sims is a jump ball/red zone target. Wilkerson has familiarity in Josh McDaniels’s system, having spent two seasons in New England in 2020-21. Sims has more NFL experience, having appeared in 55 games with 17 starts over five seasons.

We will know soon which of these three made the roster.

UPDATE: Kristian Wilkerson has made the Raiders’ 53-man roster according to a source. That puts the Raiders WR room at five.

Raiders 2023 roster cuts tracker

We’re tracking all the Raiders roster cuts here

As of a few days ago, the Raiders were sitting at 91 players including IPP player David Agoha. Now their task of trimming the roster to 53 players has begun. The first 11 moves were announced Sunday.

Tuesday, as the deadline approaches, more cuts are coming in. Here is the list which will be updated as they are revealed:

S Jaquan Johnson — per Adam Schefter

DT Isaac Rochell — per himself

Cuts total so far: 13

Cuts remaining: 25