K’Lavon Chaisson – Syndication Server

Busters for Raiders Week 6 loss vs Steelers

The poor performances that led to the Raiders collapse against the Steelers.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. The Raiders did it time and time again in this game. So, as you can imagine, there were a lot of Busters for this one. Let’s get to it.

Busters

HC Antonio Pierce

Just like last week in Denver, one mistake and this team lost its way and went off the rails. Everything just fell apart. And kept falling apart. One thing after another. First it was randomly giving a rookie a carry and then that rookie fumbling the ball away. That seemed to be the mistake that sent the team into their spiral.

From there it was a roughing penalty that wiped away an interception (leading to a touchdown), a holding penalty that wiped away a long completion (leading to a punt), a blocked punt (leading to a field goal), another roughing the passer penalty that kept a drive alive (leading to a touchdown).

Those mistakes put the Steelers up 22-7. The Raiders would mount a drive that looked to have ended with a touchdown. Twice. The first time, a Mattison TD catch was wiped away by a highly questionable ineligible man downfield penalty on Jackson Powers-Johnson. That sucks, sure, but on the next play Ameer Abdullah ran toward the endzone, diving for the goal line and looked like he may have scored. He was ruled down at the one, but after further review, it looked like he may have gotten in. But rather than challenge it, Pierce rushed the offense to the line for another play. Abdullah got the ball again and fumbled it away.

That was as close as the Raiders would get to making a game of it. An interception on the next possession gave the Steelers first and goal and they put the game away with over eight minutes left. What a discombobulated mess this team is right now. It started in week three and has only gotten worse since then. The blame starts with the head coach.

QB Aidan O’Connell

Everything looked great on the opening drive! But once things went off script, all that ended. Two consecutive three-and-out possessions in which he went three of five for seven yards.

O’Connell was overthrowing his receivers a lot in this game. Either too high or too long. Four of the first five drives from the end of the second quarter to fourth quarter ended with passes that were too high. The final one led to the game sealing interception.

RB Dylan Laube

His fumble started the implosion. His first career carry was a fumble. That’s gotta hurt.

DT Matthew Butler

That fumble would have been largely forgotten had Deablo’s interception stood. It didn’t because Butler was flagged for roughing the passer. It was an iffy call, but Butler made it easy when, after he landed on top of Justin Fields, he stayed in his face for a few seconds taunting him.

S Chris Smith II

It was still a one score game to begin the third quarter. Then AJ Cole’s punt was blocked. And it was Smith who missed his block that caused it. The Steelers got the ball inside the ten and added a field goal to make it an eight point game.

DE K’Lavon Chaisson

Chaisson got his first sack as a Raider. But before we could congratulate him on it, the very next play he was flagged for roughing the passer on a play the Raiders had stopped to force a punt. Instead the drive was kept alive and led to a touchdown.

LB Robert Spillane

That touchdown after the Chaisson roughing penalty came on a 36-yard run by Najee Harris who took the handoff out left and Spillane missed the tackle, allowing Harris to be gone for the score. The next Steelers touchdown after the interception came on a play action fake in which Justin Fields kept it on a naked boot. But Spillane bit hard on the play fake and Fields was already streaking for the end zone by the time he realized what was happening.

His eight tackles in this game were is fewest of the season and the first time he failed to hit double digits. That’s gotta sting against his former team.

RB Ameer Abdullah

From what could have been a touchdown to a fumble. Hero to goat. In one play. The Raiders defense held up to get the ball back. But Abdullah muffed the punt which had their drive starting at their own 13. That wasn’t his first mistake on punt return duties either. In the second quarter, he fielded a punt and ran backward, losing a yard to be stopped at the 16.

See the Ballers

Raiders make 4 roster moves ahead of Week 5 vs Broncos

Among several roster moves for the Raiders, they signed former first round pick K’Lavon Chaisson to the active roster from the practice squad.

It didn’t take long for K’Lavon Chaisson to get the call up from the practice squad to the active roster. Two weeks ago the team signed the former first round pick to the practice squad due to the injury to Tyree Wilson. Then last week against the Browns, he was activated due in part to the ankle injury to Maxx Crosby that caused Crosby to miss the game. Now they’ve made it official.

With the team sending LB Luke Masterson to the injured reserve, the Raiders have signed Chaisson to the active roster just ahead of facing the rival Broncos in Denver.

Crosby is Questionable for the game, so Chaisson’s addition could be to once again add much needed depth at the position.

Chaissaon played 41 snaps (69%) last week in his debut with the Raiders, collecting four combined tackles in that time.

In addition, the Raiders elevated RB Sincer McCormick and WR Alex Bachman from the practice squad.

Raiders Week 4 snap counts vs Browns: Who got bulk of playing time replacing injured starters

How did the playing time shake out replacing Raiders injured starters vs Browns

Due to the string of injuries to Raiders starters, the lineup that took the field for them on Sunday was almost unrecognizable.

The offense was without several starters including WR Davante Adams, RT Thayer Munford, and TE Michael Mayer.

In their stead, WR Tre Tucker saw 50 snaps (85%), Harrison Bryant saw 45 snaps (76%), and DJ Glaze saw all 59 offensive snaps at right tackle.

Also making his debut on the offensive line was Jackson Powers-Johnson who played ever snap at guard.

On the defensive side, they were without both original starting defensive ends with Maxx Crosby being lost this week. They also recently lost safety Marcus Epps for the season and were without LB Divine Deablo as well.

The edge rushers were led by Tyree Wilson’s 42 snaps (71%) and K’Lavon Chaisson’s 41 snaps (69%). Then Charles Snowden got 29 snaps (49%) and Janarius Robinson had just eight snaps (14%).

Jack Jones was benched early in the game, giving Darnay Holmes 12 snaps (20%). While Jones would end up playing 39 snaps (66%).

Offense				Spec Tms
Player	Pos	Num	Pct	Num	Pct
Delmar Glaze	T	59	100%	4	15%
Jackson Powers-Johnson	G	59	100%	4	15%
Kolton Miller	T	59	100%	0	0%
Gardner Minshew II	QB	59	100%	0	0%
Andre James	C	59	100%	0	0%
Jakobi Meyers	WR	57	97%	0	0%
Dylan Parham	G	51	86%	4	15%
Tre Tucker	WR	50	85%	3	12%
Brock Bowers	TE	48	81%	0	0%
Harrison Bryant	TE	45	76%	5	19%
Zamir White	RB	35	59%	0	0%
DJ Turner	WR	25	42%	0	0%
Alexander Mattison	RB	21	36%	0	0%
Cody Whitehair	G	8	14%	4	15%
John Samuel Shenker	TE	5	8%	12	46%
Tyreik McAllister	RB	4	7%	6	23%
Andrus Peat	G	4	7%	4	15%
Alex Bachman	WR	1	2%	9	35%
Defense				Spec Tms
Player	Pos	Num	Pct	Num	Pct
Isaiah Pola-Mao	FS	59	100%	3	12%
Robert Spillane	LB	59	100%	0	0%
Tre’von Moehrig	FS	59	100%	0	0%
Jakorian Bennett	CB	56	95%	0	0%
Nate Hobbs	CB	55	93%	0	0%
Christian Wilkins	DT	53	90%	4	15%
Adam Butler	DT	50	85%	4	15%
Tyree Wilson	DE	42	71%	3	12%
K’Lavon Chaisson	LB	41	69%	5	19%
Jack Jones	CB	39	66%	0	0%
Luke Masterson	LB	34	58%	22	85%
Charles Snowden	DE	29	49%	0	0%
John Jenkins	DT	24	41%	5	19%
Amari Burney	LB	12	20%	19	73%
Darnay Holmes	CB	12	20%	7	27%
Tommy Eichenberg	LB	11	19%	19	73%
Janarius Robinson	DE	8	14%	3	12%
Nesta Jade Silvera	DT	6	10%	5	19%
Special Teams				Spec Tms
Player	Pos	Num	Pct	Num	Pct
Amari Gainer	LB	0	0%	22	85%
Christopher Smith	SS	0	0%	20	77%
Thomas Harper	FS	0	0%	18	69%
Ameer Abdullah	RB	0	0%	16	62%
Sam Webb	CB	0	0%	11	42%
AJ Cole III	P	0	0%	9	35%
Dylan Laube	RB	0	0%	9	35%
Daniel Carlson	K	0	0%	9	35%
Jacob Bobenmoyer	LS	0	0%	9	35%
Jonah Laulu	DT	0	0%	5	19%
Jordan Meredith	G	0	0%	4	15

Raiders defense took Maxx Crosby absence as personal challenge in win over Browns

Proving you can perform without your best player is easier said than done. But the Raiders defense did just that without Maxx Crosby Sunday.

For the first time in five years, the Raiders defense took the field to start a game without Maxx Crosby. The last time that happened was October of 2019, which means there isn’t a player on this defense who has experienced it in a Raiders uniform. So, it was definitely an unfamiliar experience.

There was no choice in the matter. The Raiders had to figure it out. That goes for everything Crosby represents with this defense. Their emotional leader and keep the Browns from doing to them what the Panthers did last week.

Early on it, this one had a ‘her we go again’ feel to it. The Browns scored a touchdown on the opening drive and were up 10-0 at the end of the first quarter. But you could tell on that second drive, the defense was figuring things out. They gave up just one first down on the second drive and stalled the drive after that.

Then they went the rest of the game without giving up a point and went on to beat the Browns 20-16. The six points were scored off a fumble return for a touchdown.

The defensive line led the way in this effort. Including Christian Wilkins who had a sack and three QB hits.

Wilkins’ knew that stepping up to this challenge would start even before that first step onto the field. It began in the locker room. And with Crosby out, it was Wilkins’s duty to be the emotional leader.

He didn’t have to do it alone, though. Adam Butler took it upon himself to speak to the team and offer some words of inspiration as well.

Butler was raised in a military family, so he had a simple question for his teammates.

“As the bullets are flying, what are you willing to put on the line?” Butler asked. “I just put that question up in the air and I made a deal with them, I said I won’t let you down if you don’t let me down. I’m going to fly to the ball and you fly to the ball. And we’ll come out victorious and that’s what we did.”

Butler held up his end. He made several key stops, finishing the game second in tackles (6) along with a tackle for loss and a QB hit.

In the end, it was one of those edge rushers tasked with filling in for Crosby who slammed the door on the Browns.

In fourth and three, with the game in the balance, Deshaun Watson escaped out left, looking for a receiver or to take off and run for the first down. But Charles Snowden made sure neither could happen. He chased Watson down and sacked him to end the game.

Snowden said he and his fellow edge rushers took it as a personal challenge to step up in Crosby’s absence.

“We knew that not one of us was going to become Maxx Crosby overnight,” said Snowden. “We knew that would take the collective with his playmaking and his energy and just his presence. Maxx is always getting guys going with his energy out there so we knew we had to just collectively had to really do that.”

Snowden finished tied for the team lead with three QB hits to go along with his sack, a tackle for loss, and a batted pass. Janarius Robinson shared a sack, Tyree Wilson had two QB hits, and practice squad call up K’Lavon Chaisson added four tackles.

Deshaun Watson was held to 176 yards on the day with one TD and one interception. It looked for a moment like he might have a long TD to Amari Cooper, but a holding on Wilkins is what allowed him just enough time to get the pass off and thus wiped it away.

And the collective effort of those stepping up to fill the void left by Crosby’s absence is what eventually preserved the win.

Raiders make several roster moves ahead of Week 4 matchup with Browns

Raiders did some work to add depth to the roster when they face the Browns Sunday.

Due to a string of injuries at various positions for the Raiders, they shuffled around some players ahead of their game against the Browns on Sunday.

First, they signed John Samuel Shenker from the practice squad. Shenker spent the past two offseasons with the Raiders. His addition was to add depth with Michael Mayer not playing due to personal reasons.

In a corresponding move, the Raiders waived wide receiver Ramel Keyton who impressed in camp and preseason as an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee.

Since they still need depth at receiver due to Davante Adams not playing, they activated Alex Bachman from the practice squad. Bachman had been added to the offseason roster late in training camp.

Also getting a call up from the practice squad was DE K’Lavon Chaisson. He was signed to the practice squad a couple weeks ago in light of the season-ending injury to Malcolm Koonce. Now with Maxx Crosby expected to miss Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, the former first rounder gets the call up.

Raiders to deploy couple former 1st round EDGE in place of injured Maxx Crosby

Let’s be honest, there’s no replacing what Maxx Crosby brings to the Raiders defense. But the Raiders have to try because Crosby is not expected to play Sunday when the Browns come to town. He is listed as Doubtful for the game and head coach Antonio Pierce said Friday that Crosby would be OUT.

It will be a group project trying to replace Crosby. And that group will include two former first round picks.

Saturday the team activated K’Lavon Chaisson from the practice squad. Chaisson was the 20th overall pick by the Jaguars in 2020 and was signed to the Raiders practice squad a couple weeks ago, following the loss of Malcolm Koonce to a knee injury.

Chaisson will join Raiders another former first round pick in Tyree Wilson who was the Raiders pick at seventh overall in the 2023 draft.

Others who will try and pick up the slack will be Janarius Robinson and Charles Snowden.

Raiders activate former 1st round pick days after signing him to practice squad

K’Lavon Chaisson gets the call up days after signing him to practice squad

You can’t have too many pass rushers. But you can have too few. And at present the Raiders are lacking in that department.

They lost Malcolm Koonce to a knee injury just before the season opener, prompting them to sign Charles Snowden off the practice squad to the active roster. Then six snaps into that game, they lost Tyree Wilson to a knee injury.

Koonce’s injury had him placed on injured reserve. The Wilson knee injury is a sprain, which will have him out an unknown amount of time. To prepare for his absence, and to replace Snowden’s spot on the practice squad, they added K’Lavon Chaisson to the practice squad.

The former first round pick is still just 25 and therefore still carries that hope that he will live up to his potential. And with Wilson officially OUT this week, the Raiders are apparently ready to give him a shot already.

C/haisson has been activated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game in Baltimore along with CB Sam Webb who had been elevated for the season opener as well.

With Chaisson in the mix, the Raiders will go into the game with four edge rushers on the roster along with Maxx Crosby, Janarius Robinson, and Snowden.

Webb offers needed depth as well, giving them five active cornerbacks along with Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones, Jakorian Bennett, and Darnay Holmes.

Raiders sign former Jaguars EDGE, first-round pick

The Raiders signed former Jaguars edge rusher and 2020 first-round NFL draft pick K’Lavon Chaisson on Tuesday, Las Vegas announced.

Jacksonville allowed Chaisson to hit free agency this offseason, leading him to sign with Carolina in March. But the Panthers released Chaisson days before the 2024 season began, leaving him without a team for Week 1.

With injuries adding up in the Raiders’ edge-rushing room, to Tyree Wilson and Malcolm Koonce, Chaisson heads to Las Vegas with an opportunity to contribute, one he hopes to take advantage of after a disappointing start to his NFL career in Jacksonville and briefly Carolina.

Despite his first-round draft status, Chaisson started in only 11 of his 57 appearances with the Jaguars, recording 73 total tackles including 11 for loss, five sacks and two defended passes.

Jacksonville selected Chaisson No. 20 overall in 2020, with one of the first-round picks the Jaguars received in exchange for trading star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2019 season.

The Jaguars will face the Raiders on Dec. 22, in Las Vegas for Week 16.

Raiders reportedly signing former Panthers pass rusher

Report: Raiders expected to sign former Panthers OLB K’Lavon Chaisson

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to sign outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson to their practice squad. The 25-year-old defender spent the offseason with the Carolina Panthers, who signed him to a one-year deal this past spring.

Chaisson, obviously, didn’t last into the regular season for Carolina—as he was released by the team a week ago. Head coach Dave Canales explained the departure the following afternoon.

“I thought he had a really good role that he was starting to develop for himself—in terms of special teams,” Canales said last Wednesday. “And we were looking for somebody to be a dynamic game-changer as far as the pass rush. And we added some people to our roster and to our practice squad that we’d love to take a look at to see if they can give us that spark we’re looking for.”

The Panthers went into Week 1 with four outside linebackers on their active roster—Jadeveon Clowney, DJ Johnson, Eku Leota and Jamie Sheriff.

They’re also reportedly set to sign former first-round pick Charles Harris, who last played for the Detroit Lions.

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Raiders sign former 1st round EDGE to replace injured former 1st round EDGE

How do you replace a former top pick edge rusher? Why, with another former top pick edge rusher, of course.

Last Thursday, the Raiders lost starting edge rusher Malcolm Koonce to a knee injury. Six snaps into the game on Sunday, they lost former seventh overall pick Tyree Wilson to a knee injury. Thus leaving the position not only weaker, but lacking depth.

The Koonce injury was a huge blow. But they were hoping for the depth to step up and lessen that blow until Koonce could return. The Wilson injury meant something needed to happen.

“It got thin real quick,” Pierce said of the defensive end depth. “Telesco’s working on that as we speak.”

Well, Telesco’s work has yielded a result as the Raiders have signed former first round pick (20th overall) K’Lavon Chaissan to their practice squad.

Chaisson was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft out of LSU.

Over four season in Jacksonville, he had just five career sacks. They didn’t pick up his fifth year option and he left as a free agent. He signed with the Panthers this offseason and was released last week, ahead of the season opener.

Along with the Chaisson addition, the Raiders have also added CB Kyu Blu Kelly to the practice squad. Kelly was a 5th round pick by the Ravens in the 2023 draft out of Stanford. He didn’t make the roster out of camp and spent time on three different teams last season — the Packers, Seahawks, and Commanders.