Raiders DL Fadol Brown Generating Interest
- Rival teams are showing interest in Raiders practice squad defensive lineman Fadol Brown, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). On Wednesday, the Raiders opted to promote Darius Latham to provide depth up front, meaning other clubs still have a chance to pounce on the Ole Miss product. Brown, an undrafted rookie, has spent the entirety of the 2017 campaign on Oakland’s practice squad. In a predraft profile, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said Brown “sets a strong edge” in the run game but is a poor pass rusher due to “lazy” hands.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Carlton Agudosi
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: S Robenson Therezie
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Laurence Gibson, OL Ian Silberman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Colby Pearson
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Ibraheim Campbell
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Kolby Listenbee
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: CB Marcus Sayles
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Joby Saint Fleur
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Jason Thompson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Jerome Cunningham
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Lavar Edwards
- Signed off Colts‘ practice squad: WR Matt Hazel
- Waived: DL T.Y. McGill
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers: DT Rodney Coe
- Waived: DE Kasim Edebali
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted to active roster: DB Isaiah Johnson
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted to active roster: DL Darius Latham
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Cory James
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Victor Bolden
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted to active roster: LB Paul Dawson
Pollard Alliance Releases HC, GM Candidates
The Fritz Pollard Alliance met with the NFL this week and submitted names of suggested GM and head coaching candidates. The list, which is distributed to teams each year, recommends minority candidates for openings around the league. 
This year’s candidates for GM jobs are Joey Clinkscales (Raiders), Alonzo Highsmith (Packers), Ray Farmer (Rams consultant), Will McClay (Cowboys), and Doug Williams (Redskins), according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The head coaching candidates are Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Vikings DC George Edwards, Panthers DC Steve Wilks, and Titans offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Farmer has ten years of front office experience under his belt, including two as the Browns’ GM. The team went 10-22 under his watch, so wouldn’t necessarily be an exciting choice for a team this offseason. The other four suggested candidates would be first-time GMs, if hired.
Austin has been considered a bonafide head coaching candidate for some time, but he has been left in a holding pattern. In the 2016 offseason, Austin opined that two of his four interviews were done solely to satisfy the Rooney Rule. This past year, he interviewed with the Rams and Chargers.
Absent from the list is former Bills GM Doug Whaley, who received a potentially bogus interview with the Browns this week.
Former Giants RB Rashad Jennings Retires
Rashad Jennings is calling it a career. The running back took to Twitter on Friday morning to announce his retirement. 
“If good things don’t come to an end, then how can better things begin? I’m truly humbled. I’m truly excited.. More to come on this. But for now, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone!,” Jennings wrote.
That next step could be a move to broadcasting. Earlier this year, Jennings participated in “Dancing With The Stars” and wound up winning the competition. Now that he has tons of TV experience and is known to an audience outside of football, he could have some big paychecks ahead of him that don’t require getting tackled.
Jennings, 32, didn’t draw a lot of NFL interest this offseason and that could be because of his moonlighting as a network TV ballroom dancer. His age and injury history didn’t help much either. In 2016, he played through several nagging injuries and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. However, he was healthy in 2015 and it showed – he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and started in all 16 regular season games.
Jennings first entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Jaguars. After spending the first three years of his career with Jacksonville, he joined up with the Raiders in 2013. In Oakland, Jennings showed that he could produce with a big workload as he ran for 733 yards off of 163 carries (4.5 yards per attempt). He used that season as a platform for free agency, where he landed a four-year deal with the Giants.
Whether it’s broadcasting or ballet, we here at Pro Football Rumors wish Jennings the best in his future endeavors.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/2017
Today’s practice squad updates:
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Jeremy Liggins
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Cameron Lynch
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB David Rivers, DE Jonathan Woodard
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Derrick Mathews
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: WR Tevaun Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DB Cody Riggs
- Waived: RB Dare Ogunbowale
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Cameron Jefferson
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Terrence Magee
- Waived: DB Jeremy Boykins
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Robertson Daniel
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: P Cory Carter, S Dean Marlowe
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Richie Brown
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Will Pericak, TE Colin Thompson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Justin Currie
- Waived: WR Rannell Hall
Detroit Lions
- Signed: C Leo Koloamatangi
- Waived: S Stefan McClure
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OL Jeremiah Poutasi
- Waived: OL Gabe Ikard
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Robert Tonyan
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Devin Lucien, CB Josh Thornton
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: T Andreas Knappe
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Sammy Seamster
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Braedon Bowman
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Jason King
Oakland Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: T Isaiah Battle, WR Cyril Grayson, DT Garrison Smith
- Waived: TE Steve Donatell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Sterling Bailey
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Pete Robertson
- Waived: S Orion Stewart
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/4/17
Here are today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Leon McFadden
- Waived: RB Terrence Magee
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Brennan Scarlett
Oakland Raiders
-
Waived: DL Darius Latham
Washington Redskins
- Claimed: G Kyle Kalis
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Robert Davis
- Waived: DL Caraun Reid, LB Pete Robertson
Bowman Hoping For Raiders Return in 2018
In Week 12 vs. Denver, linebacker NaVorro Bowman ended the Raiders’ NFL-record 10-plus-game streak without an interception. The veteran hopes he’ll make more big plays with the team for the foreseeable future and said he would like to return to the team in 2018, reports NBC Sports’ Scott Bair. 
Since being released by San Francisco earlier in the season, Bowman has emerged as a pivotal player on Oakland’s defense and has helped the team secure three wins in his first five games. The strong play of late has helped the team keep its playoff hopes alive in the wide-open AFC West.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t sign me back. I’d love to stay. I like the area. I like the team and the organization. Hopefully we can make it happen,” Bowman said.
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie didn’t dismiss the idea. “Needless to say, his experience, and the way he plays…I’m talking about from an instincts and savvy standpoint, anytime you come two years off an injury, it’s always going to be better than the next year, so that’s not going to be a deterrent, but he can still play.”
It makes sense that Bowman would like to stay with the team. Bowman broke into the league in 2010 with the Niners and has been in the Bay Area ever since. Bowman earned three consecutive First Team All-Pro selections with San Francisco before suffering an Achilles injury early in 2016. After being released, he quickly signed with the Raiders to stay in the area with a team competing for a playoff spot.
Amari Cooper Officially Ruled Out For Week 13
It was expected considering that the Raiders’ wide receiver had not practiced all week, but the team officially ruled Amari Cooper out for Week 13 with a concussion and ankle injury, reports Scott Bair of NBC Sports.
The 23-year-old wideout suffered his concussion on a collision with Broncos safety Darian Stewart last Sunday, but we learned a few days ago that Cooper was also dealing with an injury to his ankle, which clearly lowered the probability he would play this weekend.
With Cooper out and Michael Crabtree suspended for the team’s upcoming matchup vs. the Giants, the Raiders will have to rely on the group of Jared Cook, Seth Roberts, Cordarrelle Patterson and Johnny Holton to make plays through the air.
Cooper was having quite the up-and-down season before the injury, posting great games like his 11 catch, 210 yards performance vs. the Chiefs in October, but also consistently catching fewer than five passes during contests as well.
The Raiders still remain squarely in the hunt for the AFC Wild Card, and now also find themselves just a game back of Kansas City in the AFC West with five weeks left to play.