Tag: Raiders practice squad

Former CFL star lights up Raiders preseason finale, ‘moved the needle’ in bid to make roster

‘He’s got some juice, right?’ Raiders head coach as this former CFL star lit up Raiders preseason finale.

There are a lot of decisions to be made over the next few days with the cutdown deadline looming. One player who gave the Raiders coaches a lot to think about was Tyreik McCallister.

The 5-11, 180-pounder spent the past two seasons on and off the Broncos’ offseason roster and practice squad.

In between, he spent a season in the CFL with the Hamilton Tigercats where he averaged 25.3 yards per kick return on 41 returns with 426 yards of offense and two touchdowns.

This past January he was signed to a reserve/future contract and coming into camp was seen as a longshot to make the roster. His shot got a lot shorter tonight.

First up, he took a punt in the second quarter and went took it 81 yards for a touchdown.

Then later in the game, he made an outstanding adjustment on a pass over the middle that was behind him to come back, pluck it out of the air and score with it. The defender had no idea what happened or how he did it.

 

“He’s got some juice, right?” said head coach Antonio Pierce after the game. “Came from the CFL and played running back, never played wide receiver, you can see that transition into the offseason program.”

“We’ve been seeing it in practice, but today he took it to another level. Took one to the crib and a hell of a catch and adjustment on the reception. And even just covering kicks. He moved the needle tonight.”

Even with his eye popping plays in this game, McAllister has some guys ahead of him who could make it difficult for him to sneak onto the roster. Namely Tre Tucker and DJ Turner, both of whom have already earned their spots and both of whom also return punts.

But you never know what can happen. At very least, the Raiders may see the value in keeping him around on the practice squad.

Raiders sign LB Malik Reed off practice squad, waive WR Kristian Wilkerson

For the second time since the depature of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders new head coach/GM duo of Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly have parted ways with offseason free agent additions. Thursday the team announced they had waived …

For the second time since the depature of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders new head coach/GM duo of Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly have parted ways with offseason free agent additions.

Thursday the team announced they had waived cornerback David Long Jr. Saturday they said goodbye to wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson.

In both cases, the team did so in order to add a linebacker. Thursday it was signing Jaylon Smith off the Saints practice squad. And Saturday it was signing Malik Reed off their own practice squad.

Reed went undrafted out of Nevada in 2019. He played three seasons with the Broncos before being traded to the Steelers. He hit free agency this offseason, signing with the Dolphins, but was released following training camp. He has been on the Raiders practice squad much of this season.

Along with Reed’s signing, the Raiders also elevated WR DJ Turner and G Netane Muti from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Giants.

After weeks of practice squad elevations CB Tyler Hall finally signed to Raiders active roster

After weeks of practice squad elevations CB Tyler Hall finally signed to Raiders active roster

Today the Raiders made what seemed like an inevitable move — they signed cornerback Tyler Hall to the active roster.

It seemed like it was bound to happen simply because despite spending much of this season on the team’s practice squad, he was called up to the active roster the past three weeks and even started the past two games; both wins. Last week he played a career-high 46 snaps (77%).

Hall had appeared in seven of the team’s final eight games last season including three starts and showed up well. Not for nothing, the Raider have won four of his five starts.

The fourth year cornerback bided his time this season after being waived at the final cutdown and re-signing to the practice squad. Now after six weeks he is getting the call to officially sign onto the roster. I mean, he was pretty much already doing it anyway.

In a corresponding move, the Raiders placed DB Roderic Teamer on injured reserve. They replaced Hall’s spot on the practice squad by bringing back TE John Samuel-Shenker.

The team also brought back WR DJ Turner and CB Sam Webb onto the practice squad.

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.

Raiders sign former Saints, Broncos WR Marquez Callaway to practice squad

The Broncos signed Phillip Dorsett before Raiders could place him on the practice squad, so the Raiders took a Broncos castoff instead.

Tuesday, the Raiders cut Phillip Dorsett with the hopes of bringing him back onto the practice squad. They wouldn’t get that chance because the Broncos swooped in and signed the veteran receiver to the active roster. So, the Raiders grabbed one of the receivers the Broncos waived and added him to their practice squad instead.

The Raiders have signed Marquez Callaway to the practice squad according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The 6-2, 204-pound receiver spent the past three seasons in New Orleans. He had a down season in 2022 after a career year in 2021 in which he led the team with 46 receptions for 698 yards and six touchdowns.

Honestly, with the problems at QB in New Orleans, it’s a wonder he ever had the numbers he did.  He was catching passes from four different quarterbacks — Trevor Siemien, Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, and Ian Book. Last season it was three QB’s, with Andy Dalton leading the way along with Winston and Hill.

Regardless, Callaway didn’t make the Broncos’ roster and went unclaimed off waivers, making him available to be signed by the Raiders.

Callaway is still just 25 years of age. He hails from Georgia and played college ball at Tennessee.

His addition to the practice squad, brings the number to 16, which means the Raiders have one more slot yet still open or yet to be announced.

Raiders re-sign G Alex Bars, WR Keelan Cole to practice squad

G Alex Bars, WR Keelan Cole brought back to Raiders practice squad

The list of players who the Raiders released or waived in the final cuts who aren’t now back with the team is getting smaller by the day. Today they brought back two more players who were among their cuts — guard Alex Bars and wide receiver Keelan Cole — signing both to their practice squad.

With the practice squad at 16 players already, they made two corresponding moves. They released DE Zach VanValkenburg and placed recently added OL Vitaliy Gurman on practice squad injured reserve.

Bars and Cole were both veteran free agent signings this offseason. They might have been re-signed before this, but first had to see if another team might be interested in adding them to the active roster.

Both have starting experience in the NFL. Bars started 11 games the past two seasons in Chicago while Cole has started 34 games in five NFL seasons.

Their experience, plus having spent the offseason in the Raiders’ offense, makes them valuable as potential call ups during the season.

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Raiders sign back DT Kyle Peko to practice squad

Kyle Peko re-signed to Raiders practice squad

It’s game week for the Raiders. The first regular season game week of the season. Just ahead of their first practice for the season opener against the Chargers, the Raiders added the final player to bring their practice squad to 16 players.

That 16th player is Kyle Peko who had been signed this offseason and spent all of camp and preseason with the team.

The seven-year veteran has appeared in 21 career games with the Broncos, Bills, and Titans.

With six defensive tackles on the Raiders’ active roster, Peko becomes the only interior defensive lineman on the practice squad.

Peko’s return means the only defensive tackle who spent time with the Raiders this offseason who is no long with the team is Tyler Lancaster who today was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement.

Addtionally, 14 of the 16 players on the practice squad were those among the final 22 cuts, which means very few players who were in Raiders camp are not still around and one step away from the game day roster.

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Raiders add two to practice squad, release T Bamidele Olaseni

T Bamidele Olaseni released from Raiders practice squad after one day with two new additions.

Just a day after Bam Olaseni was signed back to the Raiders’ practice squad, he has been released as the team adds two others to the squad. Replacing Olaseni’s spot is OL Vitaliy Gurman who is joined by safety JR Reed.

Gurman is an undrafted rookie offensive lineman out of Toledo. The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder offensive lineman signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason before being waived at the end of training camp. He has lined up at guard and tackle this preseason for the Chiefs.

Reed has played two seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 and New York Giants last season. The 6-1, 195-pounder has appeared in 16 career games and totaled nine tackles (four solo) on defense and six stops on special teams.

Reed is a former All-SEC first teamer while at Georgia. After three seasons with the Bulldogs, he transferred to Tulsa.

The Raiders’ practice squad now sits at 15 players, which means they may add one more player without a corresponding move.

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Raiders announce 14 practice squad additions

14 players fill out Raiders practice squad

Each NFL team is allowed 16 practice squad players. They’re often seen as those players that are one step away from being on the active roster and who, each week, see one or two of them elevated to the game day roster.

Wednesday the Raiders announced they had signed 14 players to their practice squad. Here they are:

Curtis Bolton LB 6-0 228 Oklahoma
Isiah “Ike” Brown CB 6-0 185 Florida International
Bryce Cosby CB 5-9 188 Ball State
Matthias Farley S 5-11 204 Notre Dame
Cole Fotheringham TE 6-4 246 Utah
Chase Garbers QB 6-2 215 California
Hroniss Grasu C 6-3 300 Oregon
Jordan Meredith G 6-2 302 Western Kentucky
Bamidele Olaseni T 6-7 339 Utah
Dillon Stoner WR 6-0 194 Oklahoma State
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa DE 6-2 270 Notre Dame
Zach VanValkenburg DE 6-4 263 Iowa
Austin Walter RB 5-8 190 Rice
Isaiah Zuber WR 6-0 190 Mississippi

All of these players were on the training camp roster and invited back to the practice squad.

There are still two spots open, so expect a couple of additions from players other teams have cut.