Raiders WR Amari Cooper To Retire
Amari Cooper‘s return to the Raiders will not include any game action in 2025. The Pro Bowl wideout is instead ending his career. 
Cooper informed Vegas on Thursday he is retiring, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. The former Raiders draftee returned to his original team last week, ending his lengthy stay on the open market. In spite of that, Cooper’s career is coming to an end.
The 31-year-old had a down year in 2024 but did not encounter any major injury concerns. As a result, Cooper was expected to play this year, and his Raiders reunion suggested that would be the case. However, a reversal has now taken place days before Vegas’ regular season begins.
While Cooper managed to play at least 14 games every season during his career, Pelissero notes he struggled in the ramp-up process for the 2025 campaign. Instead of missing time early in a bid to suit up later in the season, the 10-year veteran will hang up his cleats. At the moment, the Raiders are now left with only four receivers on their active roster (although the team has three replacement options on the practice squad).
The fourth overall pick in 2015’s draft, Cooper had a productive run of three-plus seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders. He was traded to the Cowboys midway through the 2018 season before ultimately signing a five-year extension with Dallas. While playing out that $100MM pact, Cooper remained a highly consistent producer but the emergence of CeeDee Lamb opened the door to another trade. The Browns traded for Cooper in 2022.
That move proved to be fruitful, as the Alabama product delivered on expectations during his two full Cleveland campaigns. As a pending free agent, Cooper was dealt to the Bills last season ahead of the trade deadline. His production fell short of expectations based on the third-round pick paid in that agreement, something which no doubt contributed to a long stay on the open market.
Upon reuniting with the Raiders – at least, a regime far removed from the one he last played for as a member of the team – Cooper was set to play a role of some kind for Vegas. Instead, the team will now proceed with Jakobi Meyers (who just rescinded his trade request after an unsuccessful bid to work out an extension), along with fellow returnee Tre Tucker and rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton at the receiver spot.
Cooper recorded 1,000 or more yards seven times in his career, serving as a model of consistency over the course of his career despite changing teams midseason on multiple occasions. He is one of 57 players in NFL history to amass 10,000 career receiving yards. In all, Cooper totaled 162 combined regular and postseason appearances and over $136MM in earnings.
Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers Rescinds Trade Request
The Raiders recently refused Jakobi Meyers‘ trade request, and the wide receiver is no longer pushing the matter. In a candid chat with reporters today, the veteran acknowledged that he’s sticking with the franchise for the time being and has rescinded his trade request.
[RELATED: Raiders Turned Down Jakobi Meyers Interest]
“It’s a job,” Meyers said (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “At the end of the day, I’m happy to be doing my job with my boys but I can be happy anywhere.”
Meyers was reportedly seeking a raise on his active $11MM-per-year contract. The Raiders weren’t eager to adjust that arrangement, leading to the receiver’s sudden trade request in late August. The organization made it clear that they didn’t have any intention of moving on from their top receiver, which seemingly ended the conversation relatively quickly.
“I asked, they said no. That’s where that stopped,” Meyers explained. “I mean, I’m just going to keep doing my job until something shakes out either way, honestly. I don’t know which way it’s going to go, but I’ll be ready for whatever.”
A former UDFA, Meyers parlayed his performance in New England into a three-year contract with the Raiders. His first two seasons in Las Vegas have been among the most productive of his career. After hauling in a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023, Meyers finished with a career-high 1,027 receiving yards in 2024. That latter performance came as the Raiders moved on from Davante Adams, and despite some major changes to the organization heading into 2025, Meyers still sits atop the depth chart.
With the Raiders eyeing a receivers corps that otherwise features Tre Tucker, old friend Amari Cooper, and a pair of rookies (second rounder Jack Bech and fourth rounder Dont’e Thornton), it’s not a surprise that the front office wants to retain Meyers as they install a new offense around Geno Smith. If Meyers maintains his WR1 status throughout the 2025 campaign, he’ll have an opportunity to cash in as a free agent after the season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/25
Here are the latest practice squad transactions from around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Cale Jones Jr.
- Released: LB Power Echols
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Anthony Walker
- Released: DT Josh Tupou
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Jeff Driskel, LB Brian Asamoah II
- Released: LB Matt Jones, S Trey Taylor
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Isaiah Johnson
- Released: CB BJ Adams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB/WR Tommy Mellott, DT Coziah Izzard
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Mykal Walker, RB Lawrance Toafili
- Released: LB Aaron Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S D’Anthony Bell
- Released: G Sataoa Laumea
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Drake Dabney
- Released: DB Kendell Brooks
With backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell starting the season on injured reserve, the Raiders – who already traded for Kenny Pickett – added some more veteran depth by signing Driskel. The 32-year-old has spent the last seven years in the NFL but only took one snap for the Commanders last season. Now, Driskel will join rookie QB Cam Miller on the practice squad in Las Vegas.
Tom Brady Broadcasting Restrictions Lifted
When Tom Brady began to pursue an ownership stake in the Raiders as he approached his first season as a broadcaster for FOX Sports, the NFL took note of the potential conflict of interest and installed several rules in response.
Among them was a ban on attending pre-game production meetings with players and coaches from both teams. That restriction has now been lifted, per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.
Previously, Brady had to get notes from a classmate – in this case, his broadcasting partner Kevin Burkhardt – to inform his color commentary. The league made an exception for the Super Bowl in February, which will now become a permanent rule.
Brady is still barred from stepping foot in other teams’ facilities or attending their practices, as he was last year. He must also continue to adhere to NFL rules that prohibit owners from publicly criticizing officials or other teams. Given Brady’s role as an analyst, he received some leeway on that front.
Other team owners – particularly the Chiefs’ Clark Hunt – insisted on Brady’s restrictions entering his first season as a broadcaster, but the NFL seems to have assessed his commentary and his role in Las Vegas and determined that the potential conflict of interest is not a major concern.
Brady has described himself as a “sounding board”, though he was reportedly instrumental in the Raiders’ organizational overhaul this offseason, helping land a triumvirate of new leadership in head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek, and quarterback Geno Smith.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/25
As rosters continue to be sorted out, here are Thursday’s minor moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LS Scott Daly, WR Devin Duvernay
- Waived: LB Carl Jones Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DT Eric Gregory
Dallas Cowboys
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): OL Trevor Keegan
- Waived: WR Ryan Flournoy
Las Vegas Raiders
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): S Tristin McCollum
- Waived: S Thomas Harper
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Richie Grant
- Waived: DT Evan Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S D’Anthony Bell
Raiders Place QB Aidan O’Connell On IR
The Raiders have announced the placement of injured quarterback Aidan O’Connell on injured reserve today. The transaction comes a day after many thought it would. 
Each NFL team is allotted two players that it can place on injured reserve before the roster cut deadline with a designation to return, allowing them to be activated to the 53-man roster four weeks after the start of the regular season. Any other players placed on IR before the deadline will remain on IR for the entire year.
When news came out two days before the deadline that O’Connell was expected to miss six to eight weeks with a fractured wrist, it was expected that he would be one of the two for Las Vegas. It came as a bit of a shock when the team only placed one player — safety Lonnie Johnson — on IR with a designation to return, keeping an injured O’Connell on the 53-man roster and giving the team one less spot with which they could have held on to a borderline player.
Instead, it appears they wanted to reserve a spot on the 53-man roster for a player outside the building. None of the players they waived appear to have been claimed elsewhere, so all are available if the team wanted to bring them back. The team chose, instead, to claim linebacker Brennan Jackson, who was waived yesterday by the Rams; the team also did an add-drop of two linemen. Still, the Raiders knew O’Connell was headed to IR, so when they claimed a new player, it was an easy transaction to bring them on and move O’Connell off.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.
Denver Broncos
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Levelle Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, QB Sam Ehlinger, TE Caleb Lohner, C Joe Michalski, DT Jordan Miller, CB Quinton Newsome, WR A.T. Perry, FB Adam Prentice, CB Jaden Robinson, DB Keidron Smith, CB Reese Taylor, OL Calvin Throckmorton, LB Jordan Turner, S Delarrin Turner-Yell, LB Garret Wallow
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Cole Christiansen, S Mike Edwards, Chukwuebuka Godrick, G C.J. Hanson, WR Jimmy Holiday, DT Coziah Izzard, CB Kevin Knowles, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Hal Presley, CB Melvin Smith, RB Carson Steele, TE Robert Tonyan, DT Marlon Tuipulotu, TE Tre Watson
Las Vegas Raiders
Signed:
Claimed:
- LB Brennan Jackson (from Rams)
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Alex Bachman, RB Chris Collier, S Terrell Edmunds, DE Jahfari Harvey, WR Sheldrick Jackson, LB Matt Jones, DT Treven Ma’ae, G Atonio Mafi, QB Cam Miller, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, TE Carter Runyon, WR Justin Shorter, OL Laki Tasi, S Trey Taylor, CB Greedy Vance, T Dalton Wagner, S JT Woods
Los Angeles Chargers
Signed:
Placed on IR:
- CB Eric Rogers
Signed to practice squad:
- G Karsen Barnhart, DL TeRah Edwards, CB Harrison Hand, WR JaQuae Jackson, S Tony Jefferson, RB Emany Johnson, C Josh Kaltenberger, LS Rick Lovato, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines, CB Myles Purchase, OLB Garmon Randolph, WR Jalen Reagor, T David Sharpe, G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei, RB Kimani Vidal, TE Thomas Yassmin
Raiders Turned Down Jakobi Meyers Interest
Jakobi Meyers‘ trade request went unfulfilled by the Raiders as final roster cuts came and went, but at least one team tried to get the veteran wideout out of Las Vegas.
The Raiders were contacted by another team regarding Meyers, but that team wanted the Raiders to eat some of Meyers’ $11MM salary, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via The Pat McAfee Show) Las Vegas already had no intention of trading Meyers, and the prospect of absorbing additional dead money only made them less likely to reconsider.
The specific team that wanted Meyers remains unknown, but it makes sense why he would draw interest on the trade market. The 28-year-old has quietly put together a solid career, growing steadily throughout his first four years in New England before landing an $11MM APY deal from the Raiders in 2023 free agency.
The wide receiver market has grown significantly since then, and so has Meyers. He recorded 800 yards in 2023 for the third year in a row to go along with eight touchdowns, a career-high. He then stepped up after Davante Adams‘ departure and posted his first thousand-yard season in 2024, albeit with less-than-stellar efficiency.
As a result, Meyers was looking for a raise via an extension, both to reflect his production and his newfound status as the team’s WR1. The Raiders came to the negotiating table, but the two sides were unable to hammer out a deal. Meyers then took the usual step of asking for a trade.
However, trying again before Week 1 might be an ideal situation for both sides. Meyers is a reliable, versatile veteran in a young receiver room who could improve on last year’s numbers with Geno Smith stabilizing Las Vegas’ quarterback situation. Signing him now – perhaps in the $18MM per year range reached by Christian Kirk – would keep him happy and could be a steal if Smith provides more and better opportunities to make plays. However, Mike Evans‘ $20.5MM APY would seem to be a clear cap on a potential deal; given the longtime Buccaneer’s production relative to Meyers, the Raiders may not even be willing to go above $19MM per year.
2025 NFL Waiver Order
Many of the players cut Tuesday were subject to waivers, giving teams a chance to pick them up (along with the rest of their contract). Teams can claim as many players as they want before the next team gets their remaining targets.
It’s also worth noting that relatively few players are claimed off waivers during final roster cuts each year. Waiver claims will be processed at 11am CT in the following order (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). In reverse order of the 2024 NFL standings, here is how the waiver priority sits:
- Titans
- Browns
- Giants
- Patriots
- Jaguars
- Raiders
- Jets
- Panthers
- Saints
- Bears
- 49ers
- Cowboys
- Dolphins
- Colts
- Falcons
- Cardinals
- Bengals
- Seahawks
- Buccaneers
- Broncos
- Steelers
- Chargers
- Packers
- Vikings
- Texans
- Rams
- Ravens
- Lions
- Commanders
- Bills
- Chiefs
- Eagles
Raiders Make Final Moves Down To 53 Players
After making 18 cuts on Monday, the Raiders the following 22 moves to trim their roster down to 53-players, per a team announcement:
Waived
- DT Zach Carter
- RB Chris Collier
- DE Jahfari Harvey
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- LB Matt Jones
- DT Treven Ma’ae
- G Atonio Mafi
- RB Sincere McCormick
- WR Tommy Mellott
- QB Cam Miller
- DE Ovie Oghoufo
- TE Carter Runyon
- WR Justin Shorter
- OL Laki Tasi
- S Trey Taylor
- CB Greedy Vance
- OT Dalton Wagner
- S JT Woods
Released
Placed on IR (designated for return)
Backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell is projected to be out for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a fractured wrist, but curiously, he will not land on injured reserve with a return designation. The Raiders may be waiting to make that move in case they need to open up a roster spot for a waiver claim, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal. Las Vegas also kept offensive tackle Thayer Munford, who was a risk to get claimed on waivers, according to Bonsignore.
Despite a pre-draft endorsement from Tom Brady and O’Connell’s injury, Miller was unable to hang on the 53-man roster as a third-string quarterback. The Raiders will need a backup quarterback to start the year, and Miller is an obvious candidate to return to the practice squad for early-season elevations as O’Connell heals. They could also scour the waiver wire and then transfer O’Connell to the IR.
Johnson suffered a broken fibula in early August, but it was not expected to end his season. His designation to return confirms that projection, but he will still be sidelined for a minimum of four games to start the year.