MJ Devonshire – Syndication Server

Raiders re-sign drafted rookie CB MJ Devonshire to the practice squad

Rookie 7th round pick CB MJ Devonshire joins Raiders practice squad

After making the initial 53-man roster, MJ Devonshire found himself waived when the Raiders claimed two players off waivers from other teams. The hope was that the seventh round rookie would clear waivers and they could welcome him back into the fold as part of the practice squad.

Devonshire did indeed make it through waivers and the Raiders did re-sign him to the practice squad, keeping their entire 2024 draft class in-house.

Fellow seventh rounder Trey Taylor was placed on partial season injured reserve, while the six others are all on the 53-man roster along with four undrafted rookies as well.

Devonshire joins Sam Webb as the two cornerbacks on the practice squad.

His re-signing leaves one spot still open on the Raiders 16-man practice squad. They had likely hoped to fill that spot with Byron Young who had been waived at the same time as Devonshire, but Young was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Raiders cut 7th round rookie CB MJ Devonshire after waiver claims

Waiver claims by Raiders pushed out a member of their draft class

Initially the Raiders entire rookie class made the 53-man roster. But after the team claimed a couple players off waivers from other teams, seventh round CB MJ Devonshire became their first rookie casualty.

Devonshire had his moments in camp, but struggled in preseason play, showing he clearly has some development needed, but has some raw tools to work with. Whether that be with the Raiders or another team should they wish to claim him.

This also means that initially the Raiders will be without both of this year’s seventh round picks because safety Trey Taylor has been placed on partial season IR.

Currently the Raiders have two spots available on their practice squad so it seems very possible Devonshire is brought back to fill one of those two spots.

At the moment, the only cornerback on the practice squad is Sam Webb. And there are just four cornerbacks on the active roster. One of whom is fourth round rookie DeCamerion Richardson. So, Devonshire’s return could be valuable and should he develop quickly, could lead to a return to the active roster in short order.

Busters for Raiders Preseason Week 2 vs Cowboys

We continue to the Busters for Raiders Preseason Week 2 vs Cowboys

After the Raiders jumped out to a fast start in the preseason opener in Minnesota, that didn’t happen against the Cowboys in Week two. Not much was working on offense and even the Cowboys backups were getting the better of Raiders starters on both sides of the ball.

Busters

QB Gardner Minshew

Antonio Pierce was hoping either Minshew or Aidan O’Connell would step up and claim the starting job. Neither of them did that and from the looks of things, Pierce had to look past his performance in this game in order to name hm the starter.

O’Connell threw a pick six in this game, but Minshew was lucky not to do the same on the first drive of the game. Twice, in fact.

The first drive, he missed an open Tre Tucker, opting to throw into coverage, having the pass broken up and threw a ball too high for Jakobi Meyers to get. Then on fourth and three, the linebacker stepped in front of his pass and would have had a clear path for a touchdown, but he dropped it.

A 48-yard connection with Tucker would get the Raiders in field goal range on their next drive, but another overthrow for Meyers would have them settle for a field goal.

Next drive, he waited too long to throw it and again nearly had it intercepted. It was only Michael Mayer turning defender that that pass was knocked down instead of picked.

Minshew’s final drive ended with him throwing it too high for Harrison Bryant on fourth and six.

G Dylan Parham

Just after the Raiders got to the 12-yard line on the 48-yard completion to Tre Tucker, Parham gave up a run stuff at the line. In the second quarter, he was slow to get into position on a screen, causing the ball to fall incomplete. On the final play of the third quarter, he was flagged for holding. Two plays later, O’Connell threw his pick six.

T Andrus Peat

Two plays following the 48-yard bomb, Peat gave up a pressure resulting in an incompletion. The drive would end on the next play. The next drive Peat would miss his block on a screen and it was blown up for a one yard gain.

T Thayer Munford

Peat was replaced at left tackle in the second quarter with Munford moving from the right to the left side. And on his second play at LT, Munford gave up a pressure, causing Misnhew to have to scramble for yards.

The final drive of the second quarter ended with Munford giving up another pressure, leading to an incompletion. After the Raiders finally got in the end zone in the third quarter, the two-point conversion fail in large part due to Munford giving up pressure on Minshew as he went back to pass.

DT Byron Young

It looked like the Cowboys game plan at one point was just simply to run at Young. He was getting pushed around a lot. On one drive in the second quarter, it seemed like every play. He was driven back on a seven-yard run, then gave up the first down on the next play, gave up a five-yard run two plays later, then later, with the Cowboys in first and goal at the four, he gave up a three-yard run. They scored the go ahead TD on the next play.

QB Carter Bradley

Bradley came in to start the fourth quarter. He was actually allowed to throw the ball this time. And he looked good at first, going six-for-six to start his day. Then the wheels fell off. His next two passes were an overthrown ball and a pass batted at the line. With a delay of game penalty in between.

His second and final drive featured two more batted passes and a ball behind his receiver on third and short.

CB MJ Devonshire

The final long drive for the Cowboys saw Devonshire give up a 17-yard catch, a 30-yard catch, and the third down catch that put the Cowboys in first and goal at the four.

See the Ballers

Raiders preseason Week 1 vs Vikings: What to watch for

What to watch for in Raiders preseason opener in Minnesota

It’s game day. For the first time in over seven months, the Raiders take the field for a game. This first outing is their preseason opener in Minnesota.

The game will air on NFL Network at 1pm Pacific (3pm local, 4pm ET). You can see all the details of how to watch here.

For that, here are a few things to watch for.

Quarterback competition

This is the number one reason to tune in by a wide margin. Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell will each get a quarter of play. Antonio Pierce has not revealed who will take the field first, but the order will be flipped next week when the face the Cowboys in Las Vegas.

What does matter here is we could get to see one QB against Vikings starters and the other against backups and fringe players. As in most cases the expected starters play very little in the first preseason matchup, if at all.

This competition has been raging on through training camp and to anyone watching, Minshew has a clear lead between the two, if only a slight one. It’s not decisive, which is why O’Connell still has a chance to come charging back in the competition with his play in preseason and the remaining practices before the season begins.

Rookie standouts

Raiders fans are no doubt excited to get to see 13th overall pick Brock Bowers take the field for the first time. There are obviously high hopes for the decorated tight end out of Georgia and Napa California native.

The rest of the class has some guys hoping to continue their fine play from the camp in the preseason. Including Round three tackle DJ Glaze, Round four cornerback Decamerion Richardson, Round five linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, Round six running back Dylan Laube, round seven CB MJ Devonshire, and undrafted receiver Ramel Keyton.

Kick returns

This year the kick returner job is far more exciting due to the new kickoff rules.For that reason, it will be very interesting to see how the Raiders handle it and specifically *who* handles it. The previously mentioned Dylan Laube figures to find a role there, but others have gotten work there as well, including Ameer Abdullah and even cornerback Jack Jones.

As far as how Daniel Carlson changes his kicking strategy, I would be surprised if he reveals much about that in this game. Best to keep it status quo before the games count. Gotta keep Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers guessing until the season opener.

Next men up

Often times the entrenched starters won’t play in the preseason opener. But some will not play for other reasons. Left tackle Kolton Miller is on the PUP list, as is rookie left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson. Davante Adams was absent the last week of camp because he was home in Las Vegas awaiting the birth of his child.

Stepping up for those three will be three veterans: Andrus Peat (LT), Cody Whitehair (LG), and Kristian Wilkerson (WR).

Other game coverage:

How to watch Raiders preseason Week 2 vs Vikings

5 Raiders battles to watch on offense in preseason opener in Minnesota

9 players who opened some eyes at Raiders camp

Raiders preseason opener will be ‘very telling’ in QB competition

Breaking down Raiders first unofficial depth chart of preseason

Winners from Raiders training camp scrimmage

5 Raiders defensive position battles to watch in preseason opener in Minnesota

Defense will be the strength of this Raiders team and there’s a lot of returning starters. But the preseason isn’t really about entrenched starters. It’s about hopefuls and those looking to be the guy who, if called upon, would keep the group from …

With that in mind, here are the top five positions battles to watch when the Raiders take on the Vikings on Saturday.

Raiders sign TE Brock Bowers, 5 other draft picks to rookie deals

Raiders sign 6 draft picks including top pick Brock Bowers

The days of the Raiders slow rolling out their rookie signings are over. One the eve of Rookie minicamp the team rattled off six of the team’s eight draft pick signings, starting with top pick tight end Brock Bowers and ending with their entire Day three haul.

Here’s what those signings and contracts look like:

Rd 1 (13) TE Brock Bowers — 4-year, $18.14M, $3.3M ’24 cap hit

Rd 4 (112) CB Decamerion Richardson — 4-year, $4.8M, $995K ’24 cap hit

Rd 5 (148) LB Tommy Eichenberg — 4-year, $4.35M, $879K ’24 cap hit

Rd 6 (208) RB Dylan Laube — 4-year, $4.175M, $834K ’24 cap hit

Rd 7 (223) S Trey Taylor — 4-year, $4.14M, $825K ’24 cap hit

Rd 7 (229) CB MJ Devonshire — 4-year, $4.13M, $822K ’24 cap hit

The only remaining signings to be announced for the Raiders are Day two picks Jackson Powers-Johnson (44 overall) and DJ Glaze (77 overall).

Which as quickly as they rolled these signing out, I’d expect the final two to happen before the rookie take the field on Friday.

5 interesting facts about Raiders Round 7 CB MJ Devonshire

With their final pick in the draft at 229 overall, the Raiders selected Pittsburgh cornerback MJ Devonshire. He was considered a value pick at that spot considering most projections seemed to have him as a Round 5-6 pick.

So, let’s get to know MJ, shall wel.

Multi-sport star

As a senior in high school he earned All-League honors in basketball and led the team in scoring (17 points per game). His speed showed up on the track as well, winning the state championships in the 100 meters (10.67 seconds) and 200 meters (21.73) as a senior and was a member of the 2019 4×100 relay league championship.

Ball hawk

Third longest wingspan of any cornerback in this class (78 ¾). He used that wingspan to snag seven interceptions and 25 pass breakups over the past two seasons. And he used his speed and elusiveness to return three of those interceptions for touchdowns. He also points to his film study and football IQ.

“I always know my opponent,” said Devonshire.” When you know your opponent, you start to know which routes and concepts he’s likeliest to run.”

Followed footsteps of greatness

Devonshire grew up in the Moon Area (Pittsburgh) School District, but he dreamt of one day playing at Aliquippa High School, like his father and several Pro Football Hall of Famers including Darrelle Revis and Ty Law.

“Aliquippa corners are just built different,” said Devonshire.

After transferring back home from Kentucky in 2021, he followed in the footsteps of Revis as a playmaker on both defense and special teams, becoming the first Aliquippa player since Revis in 2006 to score on a punt return and interception return in the same season.

Along the way he has gained two mentors in Revis and Law.

“They’ve been my mentors through this entire college process,” Devonshire said of the two Hall of Fame Aliquippa alums. “Being from the same place and walking the same streets, they call me, they reach out every chance they get.”

Outside corner

He has decent size at 5-11 with the wingspan of a guy who’s 6-5. That along with his straight line speed (4.45) make him a fit on the outside. That’s where he played at Pitt and that’s where NFL teams project him.

“Most NFL teams see me playing as an outside cornerback,” said Devonshire. “That’s been the general consensus throughout my meetings.”

Punt return prowess

He returned 48 punts at Pitt, taking one 82 yards for a score. That and his 86-yard interception return last season proves he is a threat to score whenever he gets the ball in his hands. And therefore has a good chance at taking over punt return duties for the Raiders.

“I love returning punts,” Devonshire said. “I love getting the ball in my hands and trying to score a touchdown on special teams. I’m looking forward to returning punts at the next level.”

Raiders rookies get their numbers, Zamir White gets new number

Zamir White gets new number, Raiders rookies get their numbers

The Raiders have assigned numbers to their rookie class. Here they are:

Draft class:

TE Brock Bowers – 89
G Jackson Powers-Johnson – 70
T DJ Glaze – 71
CB Decamerion Richardson – 21
LB Tommy Eichenberg – 45
RB Dylan Laube – 23
S Trey Taylor – 37
CB MJ Devonshire – 26

Undrafted:

G Clark Barrington – 64
QB Carter Bradley – 14
T Andrew Coker – 73
WR Jeff Foreman – 80
DT Tomari Fox – 60
DE TJ Franklin – 57
LB Amari Gainer – 53
CB Demarcus Governor – 44
WR Lideatrick Griffin – 81
G Jake Johanning – 63
WR Ramel Keyton – 82
C Will Putnam – 67
S Phalen Sanford – 42
DT Noah Shannon – 62
CB Ja’Quan Sheppard – 46
DE Ron Stone Jr – 76
CB Rayshad Williams – 36

Number change:

RB Zamir White – 3 (was 35)

New addition:

WR Michael Gallup – 10

White got his Georgia number after two years wearing 35 for the Raiders.

Many of these numbers will change by the time the season starts. Obviously not everyone will make the team and many of the numbers given out aren’t ideal for their position, but the number they wanted wasn’t currently available.

But these are the number the rookies will wear when they report to rookie minicamp and OTA’s.

Introducing Raiders 2024 Draft class

The draft has come to a close and there are eight new Raiders in the house. This is the Raiders Draft class of 2024.

1. (13) Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
2. (44) Jackson Powers-Johnson, G/C, Oregon
3. (77) DJ Glaze, T, Maryland
4. (112) Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi St
5. (148) Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio St
6. (208) Dylan Laube, RB, New Hampshire
7a. (223) Trey Taylor, S, Air Force
7b. (229) MJ Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh

The Raiders made no trades up or down, preferring to stick at their original draft spots for their eight selections.

While they went all offense on days one and two, they went almost all defense on Day three. According to Tom Telesco, that wasn’t intentional, but just how the day played out.

What was intentional was getting guys who could play on special teams because that will be many of the late round guys’ ticket to making the team.

The one glaring need position they did not address was quarterback. Telesco said they were thinking about adding a QB on day one, but after the top six guys went before they picked at 13, they didn’t consider taking one the rest of the draft.

Raiders go defensive back with final picks in seventh round of 2024 NFL Draft

Raiders go defensive back with their final two picks of the Draft

With two picks in the seventh round at 223 and 229 overall, the Raiders added competition to their secondary with the selections of Air Force safety Trey Taylor and Pittsburgh cornerback MJ Devonshire.

Taylor won the Jim Thorpe Award this past season as the best safety in college football. He joins Tre’von Moehrig as Raiders players who won the coveted award.

Devonshire was a second-team All ACC performer last season in his second season as a starter for the Panthers.