Sportsnaut
Just days before their Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots, the Las Vegas Raiders signed a couple of receivers. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly could feature his wideouts in a pass-heavy game plan that aims to exploit a depleted secondary with new primary starters.
Raiders Daily breaks down the new additions to the active roster and practice squad and highlights what’s going on with the back end of the Patriots defense.
On the heels of Amari Cooper‘s retirement, the Raiders signed Justin Shorter to the active roster. Last year, he appeared in 10 games with the team, taking 45 percent of the special teams snaps.
The Buffalo Bills selected Shorter in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. They placed the Florida product on injured reserve in August of that year and released him last offseason. Shortly after, Las Vegas signed the 6-foot-4, 227-pounder and converted him into a tight end.
Heading into Sunday’s game, the Raiders have Shorter listed as a wide receiver on their official website. Regardless of his position, he’ll likely contribute primarily on special teams again.
Nonetheless, with rookie second-rounder Jack Bech‘s underwhelming showing through the summer thus far, Shorter could be an asset in jumbo packages and in the red zone.
Read: Raiders Daily: Amari Cooper’s Short Unfinished Business Trip, Prepping for Ground Game
In connection with Justin Shorter’s move up to the active roster, Las Vegas restocked his spot on the practice squad with the addition of Phillip Dorsett II.
Under former head coach Josh McDaniels, the Raiders signed Dorsett to a one-year deal during the 2023 offseason, but he didn’t make it through roster cuts and landed on the Denver Broncos‘ and Atlanta Falcons‘ practice squads over the last two years.
In July, the club signed Dorsett, but once again, it released the 11-year pro as part of roster cuts. The 31-year-old hasn’t been on an active roster in two seasons, but he still has the speed that reminds everyone about his 4.33 40-yard dash time coming out of Miami in 2015.
As a savvy veteran, Dorsett can help a young wide receiver room.
Read: Raiders vs. Patriots: Three Bold Predictions for Sunday’s Season Opener
The New England Patriots ruled out cornerback Christian Gonzalez, which may allow Alex Austin and DJ James to see more time on the field, along with veteran newcomer Carlton Davis III and team captain Marcus Jones.
“The Patriots feel comfortable with either Austin or Jones in the slot, first-year defensive coordinator Terrell Williams said,” NBC Sports Boston’s Sean McGuire wrote. “Whichever of those two is not in the slot likely will work opposite Davis, both Austin and Jones having outside-inside versatility. Depth cornerback DJ James, who got off to a hot start in training camp before cooling off, could be thrust into a larger role himself.”
Offensive...
