Silver And Black Pride
Tuesday, the Las Vegas Raiders got down to the mandatory initial 53-man roster making several cuts.
Here is the Raiders’ current 53-man roster via the team.
Here are some thoughts on the moves:
The releases of sixth-round picks, wide receiver Tommy Mellott and quarterback Cam Miller were interesting. If neither is claimed (and there is no sure thing they will be claimed), I’d expect both players to go on the Raiders’ practice squad.
If Miller is claimed, the Raiders will likely add another quarterback to the practice squad. Keep an ye on former Tampa Bay backup Kyle Trask. He has history with Raiders’ general manager John Spytek. I always thought Mellott was competing more with running back Dylan Laube than anything and Laube played better on special teams in the preseason. They could also try to claim Kyle McCord on waivers. He was taken by the Eagles one pick after Las Vegas drafted J.J. Pegues in the sixth round and he went 34 picks before Miller.
Mellott and Miller were the only two of the Raiders’ 11 draft picks not to make the initial 53-man roster.
Seventh-round pick, linebacker Cody Lindenberg made it as both he and 2024 seventh-round pick Tommy Eichenberg made it four veteran newcomers Germaine Prattt, Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams, in his first NFL season as a linebacker after spending the first eight seasons of his career at safety.
No 2025 undrafted free agent made the initial 53-man roster, but expect some to be on the practice squad. Center Will Putman, a 2024 undrafted free agent who was on the practice squad last season, made the roster.
Safety Trey Taylor did not make the team and there are now six players remaining from the Raiders’ eight-player 2024 draft class remaining on the roster. Taylor was a seventh-round pick last year.
The Raiders put safety Lonnie Johnson on the injured reserve and he could return during the season. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell was not put on the IR even though he is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks with a fractured wrist. Expect him to go on the IR soon after the Raiders make some moves in the coming days, including some possible waiver claims Wednesday.
Among the areas Las Vegas could took to add include wide receiver, the defensive line and cornerback and safety.
The Raiders only have four safeties, Jeremy Smith, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Thomas Harper and Chris Smith. Veteran Terrell Edmunds was released but he could return if the Raiders don’t make an add this week at the position.
The Raiders cut six defensive tackles as they move on in the post-Christian Wilkins life. They are Adams Butler, Jonah Laula, rookies Tonka Hemingway and Pegues, Thomas Booker and Leki Fotu. It wouldn’t be a surprise if that position is fluid.
Some expected backup tackle Thayer Munford to be cut after a miserable preseason (he gave up a sack on the play O’Connell was injured on), but he remains on the roster.
The Raiders...
