Two weeks from the day Vic Beasley was signed to the Raiders practice squad, Jon Gruden is considering activating the former All-Pro edge rusher when the team faces the New York Jets this Sunday.
“Perhaps Vic Beasley will play this week,” Gruden said Friday when I asked him about corresponding moves for when the team officially placed DT Maliek Collins on injured reserve.
“We’re going to go take a good look at our options right now but Beasley has had a good week. He’s seemed to pick up our system fast.
“We don’t know Maurice Hurst’s status either, so we’ll have to make a decision on game day to give these guys another day to try to get well.”
Hurst is officially questionable for the game. Should he not be able to go, it would create a glaring at defensive tackle.
The team has gotten some good work in relief along the interior defensive line from the likes of Kendall Vickers, and practice squad players Chris Smith and David Irving. Clelin Ferrell could also see some time there as he makes his return from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Obviously, Beasley plays defensive end, but the team will be allowed to call up several players from the practice squad and they could always just sign Beasley to the active roster to replace Collins’s spot should they choose to do so. That would certainly guarantee no other team could steal Beasley away on Tuesday when practice squad players are unprotected.
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