NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/23/22
Today’s only practice squad moves:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Javelin Guidry
- Released: G Jordan Meredith
Guidry was brought in for cornerback depth a little over a week ago when Anthony Averett was placed on injured reserve. He made an appearance in the Raiders Week 2 game, only playing three special teams snaps, but was later waived to make room for tackle Justin Herron, who was acquired in a trade with the Patriots earlier this week. After clearing waivers, Guidry has returned as a member of the Raiders’ practice squad and can still contribute as a standard gameday elevation.
Raiders To Meet With LB Blake Martinez
The Giants made Blake Martinez a surprise cut just before season, releasing the veteran linebacker despite carrying him through to their 53-man roster. The seventh-year defender has resurfaced via multiple scheduled visits this week.
After meeting with the Ravens on Tuesday, Martinez will visit the Raiders on Friday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz tweets. Martinez has a clear connection in Las Vegas, having worked with new Raiders DC Patrick Graham with the Giants and Packers.
Graham was in Green Bay as the team’s linebackers coach in 2018 and, after a year in Miami, was in New York when the Giants gave Martinez a three-year, $30.75MM contract in 2020. Martinez, 28, played two seasons on that deal, though the second one was interrupted by an ACL tear. The Giants cut bait two weeks ago, doing so despite taking on $7.5MM in Martinez dead money. The team had previously restructured Martinez’s deal this offseason.
When healthy, Martinez stands as one of the NFL’s most prolific tacklers. The former Packers fourth-round pick ripped off a four-season stretch in which he topped 140 tackles each year. He led the NFL with 144 stops in 2017 and notched 144 under Graham, while adding a career-high five sacks, the following year. In his lone healthy Giants slate, Martinez totaled 151 tackles (nine for loss) and three sacks. Big Blue’s Martinez and James Bradberry signings helped the team make a surprising defensive turnaround in 2020, when it ranked ninth in scoring defense in Graham’s debut season. That moved Graham’s name to the HC radar.
The Raiders currently have top inside linebacker Denzel Perryman sidelined due to an ankle injury. Perryman, who missed the Raiders’ Week 2 game against the Cardinals, has not practiced this week.
Patriots Trade OL Justin Herron To Raiders
The Patriots and Raiders have agreed on another trade. Months after the Pats sent Jarrett Stidham to the AFC West franchise, Justin Herron is headed to Las Vegas.
This deal will involve a 2024 pick swap, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Herron will see some familiar faces in Vegas, with longtime Patriots OC Josh McDaniels and ex-New England exec Dave Ziegler now running the Raiders. New England will receive Las Vegas’ 2024 sixth-round choice and send over a 2024 seventh-rounder in this swap, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.
Although Herron has not suited up this season, he started 10 Patriots games between the 2020 and ’21 slates. The Pats drafted Herron in the 2020 sixth round. Herron, 26, worked as a backup tackle in New England. He will head to a Raiders team that has encountered right tackle instability.
The Raiders have used ex-Patriot Jermaine Eluemunor as their right tackle starter thus far, but the team has deployed a rotation on the right side of its offensive line. Seventh-round rookie Thayer Munford has rotated in at right tackle during each of Las Vegas’ first two games. This rotation comes after the Raiders cut 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood and saw would-be right tackle starter Brandon Parker suffer a season-ending injury during the preseason. Herron could be in position to compete for a starting job. If nothing else, the Wake Forest product will supply depth.
Herron filled in for Trent Brown during part of the then-right tackle’s 2021 absence and filled in for then-left tackle Isaiah Wynn during part of his rookie year. Pro Football Focus did not view Herron’s 2021 work too positively, but his scheme familiarity and through-2023 rookie contract made him a target for a Raiders team experiencing some O-line turbulence.
To clear a roster spot, the Raiders are waiving cornerback Javelin Guidry, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Should the speedy defender clear waivers, the Raiders plan to add him to their practice squad. The Raiders claimed Guidry off waivers from the Cardinals, who cut him shortly after claiming him on the wire from the Jets. Guidry played three special teams snaps for the Raiders against the Cards in Week 2.
CB Joe Haden Announces Retirement
After a 12-year career spent in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Joe Haden is walking away from the game. The former Pro Bowl cornerback plans to retire, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus (via Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper).
While Haden drew some interest this offseason, he did not sign with a team ahead of training camp. The 33-year-old defender ended his career as a 149-game starter. That ranks as a top-50 total in NFL history at cornerback. Among active corners, only Patrick Peterson has lined up as a first-stringer more often.
The Cardinals, Dolphins, Rams and Raiders showed interest this offseason, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Haden was said to be weighing offers. If so, none of the teams’ proposals did enough to convince him to play a 13th season, but Fowler adds the longtime starter entered free agency planning to do so.
The first cornerback chosen in the 2010 draft (No. 7 overall), Haden earned Pro Bowl nods with the Browns and Steelers. He spent time anchoring secondaries in Cleveland and, after a late-summer release in 2017, became a key figure on a few Steelers playoff teams. Lasting longer than most as a No. 1 corner, Haden made Pro Bowls with the 2013 and ’14 Browns and received his third invite in 2019 — at age 30 — with the Steelers. The 5-foot-11 defender ended his career with 29 interceptions; a six-INT rookie season did the most to bolster that total.
Haden signed a Browns extension in 2014 and played three seasons on that contract but was one of a few veterans to leave the team during its aggressive rebuild attempt from 2016-17. The Browns attempted to keep the ex-Florida Gator on a reduced salary and made efforts to trade him, but the team’s top corner instead ended up on the open market. Although Haden became connected to several other teams — the Dolphins, Eagles, Saints, Chiefs, Cowboys and 49ers — in free agency, he chose the Steelers after visit that occurred hours after his Browns exit. The short Rust Belt trek produced a three-year, $27MM deal, the first of Haden’s two Steelers agreements.
After the arrivals of Haden and T.J. Watt in 2017, the Steelers made a run at the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Ryan Shazier‘s injury and the controversial Jesse James touchdown overturn re-routed the 13-3 team to the No. 2 seed, and an eventual divisional-round loss, but that season began a lengthy Haden second act. The Steelers extended Haden in 2019 — a two-year, $22MM accord — and he ended up starting 67 games with his second NFL employer. That period produced top-10 total defenses from 2017-20 in Pittsburgh and three playoff berths. Haden angled for a third Steelers deal last year, but the team moved on via younger, cheaper options this offseason.
Haden ended up doing incredibly well for himself financially in the NFL, making more than $121MM in 12 years. He arrived during the last draft to feature monster rookie contracts for first-rounders, before the 2011 CBA changed the rookie salary scale, landing a five-year, $40MM deal in 2010. That figure eclipses what 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker signed for this offseason. The Browns gave Haden a five-year deal in 2014 (worth $67.5MM) as well.
Latest On Raiders’ Offensive Line Situation
The Raiders entered the season with one of the most highly-regarded skill-position groups in the league, but a number of questions on the offensive line. That was reflected by a rotation at multiple spots in Week 1, something which is expected to continue tomorrow. 
As noted by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the team deployed two players at both right tackle and right guard, with starters Jermaine Eluemunor and Dylan Parham sharing time with Thayer Munford and Lester Cotton, respectively. Overall, the Raiders allowed five sacks in their loss to the Chargers, but the play of that quartet drew praise from the coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi.
“I think they’ve earned the right to play again this week,” he said of the aforementioned linemen. The two starters drew encouraging PFF grades, but Bonsignore adds that Munford “will remain in the mix” for significant playing time. Of course, outside additions remain a distinct possibility as well.
The Raiders hosted a number of veterans earlier this week, including Billy Price. That resulted in a practice squad deal for the 27-year-old, who was a full-time starter for the Giants last season. In addition, Vegas worked out former Cardinal Justin Murray recently, along with far less experienced options in Myron Cunningham, Shamarious Gilmore and Willie Wright (Twitter link via SI’s Howard Balzer).
“We’re playing the guys that deserve to play,” head coach Josh McDaniels confirmed. “There are seven guys that played [Sunday] because they earned the opportunity with their performance throughout the course of the preseason and in training camp.”
With the rotation apparently set to continue for the foreseeable future, the Raiders will look to find a full-time starting unit while aiming for their first win tomorrow against the Cardinals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/22
Today’s minor moves around the league, including practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s action:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Devon Kennard, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Caleb Huntley, DL Abdullah Anderson
- Placed on IR: RB Damien Williams (story)
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Daryl Worley, WR Raleigh Webb
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Arron Mosby
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: C Dieter Eiselen
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Jordan Kunaszyk, DT Roderick Perry
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed to active roster: QB Cooper Rush, K Brett Maher (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Will Grier, C Alec Lindstrom
- Placed on IR: DE Tarell Basham
- Waived: DT John Ridgeway
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kendall Hinton, G Netane Muti
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Anthony Pittman, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Jeff Driskel, WR Chris Conley
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Keke Coutee, K Chase McLaughlin (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: G Alex Bars, S Matthias Farley
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jacob Harris
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: T Larnel Coleman, WR River Cracraft
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: S Tony Jefferson, CB Fabian Moreau
New York Jets
- Promoted from practice squad: OL Grant Hermanns, TE Kenny Yeboah
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Christian Ringo
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Delontae Scott
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Xavier Crawford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kaylon Geiger, LB Kenny Young
Washington Commanders
- Promoted from practice squad: G Wes Martin, DT Benning Potoa’e
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Javon Wims
- Released: WR JaVonta Payton
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB B.J. Baylor
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Placed on IR: WR Dillon Stoner
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Ronnie Rivers
- Placed on IR: RB Trey Ragas
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Gerri Green
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/22
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: OLB Steven Means
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: CB Essang Bassey
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Eagles’ practice squad: OL Kayode Awosika
- Promoted: RB Justin Jackson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Keelan Cole
- Placed on IR: WR DJ Turner
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Will Parks
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: LS Tyler Ott
- Promoted: LB Tanner Muse, LS Carson Tinker
Raiders Work Out Kelechi Osemele, Oday Aboushi, Billy Price
SEPTEMBER 14: The Raiders signed Price to their practice squad Wednesday. This comes as Aboushi landed on the Rams’ taxi squad. A former No. 21 overall pick, Price lost his Bengals starting center gig in his second NFL slate (2019). But the 27-year-old blocker is coming off a full season of starter work with the Giants.
SEPTEMBER 13: Kelechi Osemele did not play in the NFL in 2021, but retirement is not yet in the cards. Two teams have now worked out the former All-Pro guard over the past several days.
The Raiders brought in their former interior starter for an audition, according to ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). Osemele, whom the Raiders traded to the Jets during the 2019 offseason, has not played since a Chiefs-Raiders game in October 2020. In addition to Osemele, the Raiders brought in O-linemen Oday Aboushi, Billy Price and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves for early-season workouts.
[RELATED: Raiders Sign CB Nickell Robey-Coleman]
Osemele, 33, suffered tendon tears in both knees. A similar injury development halted longtime Texans right tackle Derek Newton years ago. Newton went down in October 2016, missed all of 2017 and played in just one more game (in 2018) before hanging up his cleats. Newton was also younger than Osemele was at the time of those tendon tears. But both the Bears and Raiders have kicked the tires on Osemele, whose two career Pro Bowl nods came during his time with the Raiders.
A big-ticket Raiders free agent signing in 2016, Osemele earned Pro Bowl invites in 2016 and ’17. The ex-Ravens second-rounder started three seasons for the Raiders, but months after the team parted ways with ex-GM Reggie McKenzie, its Jon Gruden-led power structure traded Osemele to the Jets. A shoulder injury hijacked the veteran guard’s Jets season (2019) as well, and a memorable dispute with the team ensued on his way out. Osemele played in five Chiefs games, working as a starter for the eventual AFC champions early in the 2020 campaign.
Aboushi is also attempting to come back after an injury; an October ACL tear ended his Chargers run. By lining up as a Bolts starter last year, Aboushi became a rare player who has been a starter for six teams (Jets, Texans, Seahawks, Cardinals, Lions, Chargers). The 31-year-old blocker started five games with the Bolts, who have since moved on via their first-round Zion Johnson pick.
A 2018 first-round Bengals selection, Price spent last season with the Giants. Traded straight up for then-Giants defensive tackle B.J. Hill before last season, Price returned to a full-time starter role after being benched in Cincinnati. The Ohio State product started 15 games for a battered Giants offensive line. Hargreaves, a 2016 Buccaneers first-round pick, played in 12 games for the Bengals and Texans last season.
Despite fielding a below-average offensive line last season, the Raiders did not make any big additions to that unit. In Week 1, they used a few different combinations up front. Josh McDaniels‘ team kept left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard John Simpson and center Andre James on the field throughout but made in-game changes on the right side. The Silver and Black started Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle and third-round rookie Dylan Parham at right guard.
Raiders Sign CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
SEPTEMBER 13: Robey-Coleman is now on the Raiders’ practice squad, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets. Las Vegas has both added Robey-Coleman and Javelin Guidry, the latter via a Monday waiver claim. The team’s cornerback situation became an issue in Week 1, when Averett went down. A starter against the Chargers, Averett is now on IR.
SEPTEMBER 12: One day after their season-opening loss to the Chargers, the Raiders are adding some veteran depth to their secondary. Las Vegas is signing cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network (Twitter link). 
The 30-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career in Buffalo. He maintained a consistent role in terms of playing time, logging seven starts in 2014. That led to a healthy market for him in the 2017 offseason, which ultimately saw him join the Rams.
In Los Angeles, Robey-Coleman continued to see a sizeable rotational workload, and made the only playoff appearances of his career during his two-year stretch there. That included, of course, his role in briefly making pass interference a foul which could be challenged. In 2020, he signed with the Eagles, with whom he started seven of 15 games but struggled in pass coverage.
That led to another one-year stint last season as he signed in Detroit. His Lions tenure was limited to just one game, however, so it came as little surprise that he remained on the open market through the beginning of the regular season. For his career, Robey-Coleman has racked up 338 tackles, six interceptions and 49 passes defensed. He will add a veteran presence to a young CB group in Vegas.
The Raiders have seen plenty of turnover at the position this offseason. They added Anthony Averett in free agency and traded for Rock Ya-Sin from the Colts in return for Yannick Ngakoue. Days before the start of the regular season, however, they sent Trayvon Mullen to the Cardinals as part of the new front office’s noteworthy decision to move on from recent draftees. That left an opening for an addition, and Robey-Coleman should once again have the opportunity to take on at least a rotational role as the Raiders look to bounce back from last night’s performance in a year filled with significant expectations.