Raiders Activate Tyree Wilson From NFI List
Tyree Wilson will finally begin practicing with the team that drafted him seventh overall. The rookie Raiders defensive end is off the active/NFI list as of Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Raiders had kept Wilson’s timetable murky, but having their top rookie available to start the season has always been the expectation. Wilson is no longer eligible for the reserve/NFI list to start the season; that designation would have cost the Texas Tech product four games.
Although the Raiders did extensive work on quarterbacks during the pre-draft process, they chose Wilson with their top pick. Viewed as a candidate to go as high as No. 2 overall, the former Big 12 pass rusher’s potential upside generated considerable buzz despite the foot injury being in the recent past. Wilson’s senior year with the Red Raiders ended during a Nov. 12 game against Kansas, and the highly touted prospect underwent two surgeries — a second in March — to repair the damage. Some teams did not clear Wilson during pre-draft physicals; the Raiders were one of the teams that did.
Totaling seven sacks for a second straight season, Wilson still earned first-team All-Big 12 acclaim for his 2022 work. He is expected to be used to help keep Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones fresh this season. With Jones’ three-year, $51MM contract not including any 2024 guarantees, it is not difficult to see the Raiders planning to move on and go with Wilson opposite Crosby next season. For now, the team will have a promising three-rusher setup ahead of Wilson’s rookie season.
The Raiders considered moving down to pick up extra selections, but they used a first-round pick on an edge player for the third time since 2014. The other two — Khalil Mack and Clelin Ferrell — are gone. A 2019 fourth-rounder, Crosby has taken Mack’s place as a long-term cornerstone. Both Crosby and Wilson are signed through the 2026 season.
Raiders Place T Brandon Parker On IR
A starter during his most recent active season with the Raiders, Brandon Parker re-signed with the team this offseason. But Parker’s future with the franchise is again cloudy after another August injury.
The Raiders placed the veteran tackle on IR on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. This marks the second straight year in which Parker has landed on IR before the season. Because of the preseason placement on the Raiders’ injured list, Parker is not eligible to be activated later in the season.
A recent roster projection from The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed placed Parker on the final 53, with the duo indicating he had held the role of the fourth tackle — behind Kolton Miller, Jermaine Eluemunor and Thayer Munford (subscription required). This transaction will nix that path for the Silver and Black, who have not been able to turn to Parker since the 2021 season.
The Raiders initially drafted Parker in the 2018 third round, grabbing him two rounds after Miller in Jon Gruden‘s first draft at the helm. Primarily a right tackle, Parker started 13 games in 2021. The Raiders had drafted Alex Leatherwood that year but moved him to guard quickly. Even with the Josh McDaniels-led staff shifting Leatherwood back to tackle in 2022, the Alabama product could not avoid the chopping block. But neither Leatherwood nor Parker factored into the Raiders’ plans last season. A triceps injury landed Parker on IR on August 28 of last year.
Just before free agency, the 27-year-old blocker re-signed with the Raiders on a one-year, $1.5MM deal. Las Vegas guaranteed the sixth-year vet $475K. The North Carolina A&T alum has made 32 starts as a Raider. With Parker out of the picture, 2022 trade acquisition Justin Herron figures to have a better chance of making the 53-man roster as a backup.
With the open roster spot, the Raiders signed wide receiver Isaiah Zuber, Wilson tweets. Zuber’s only game action came with the Patriots in 2020, during McDaniels’ lengthy second stint as New England’s OC.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/23
Here are today’s minor transactions as we close the first week of the preseason:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers (from Lions): CB Tae Hayes
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: S Nate Meadors
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Colby Richardson
- Released with injury settlement: C Ross Pierschbacher
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Bobby Evans
- Placed on reserve/retired list: TE Sammis Reyes
Las Vegas Raiders
- Reverted to IR: LB Darius Harris, WR DJ Turner
- Released: DT Kyle Peko
New Orleans Saints
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: G Koda Martin
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Forrest Rhyne
- Waived/injured: LB Chapelle Russell
Reyes retires from the sport of football after only two years in the league. A former basketball player with dreams of playing in the NBA, Reyes applied for and was admitted into the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program out of Chile. Despite spending time with three teams, Reyes only suited up for regular season action in Washington, where he played 11 games, starting one. As a tight end, Reyes mostly made an impact on special teams during his career. He retires at the age of 27.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/23
Saturday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: LB Jacob Phillips (story)
- Waived (injury designation): CB Bubba Bolden
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Tae Hayes
Houston Texans
- Activated from PUP list: TE Teagan Quitoriano
- Waived: K Jake Bates
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB, Kana’i Mauga, RB Darwin Thompson
- Waived (injury designation): WR DJ Turner, LB Darius Harris
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB C.J. Marable, T Micah Vanterpool
- Waived: LB Olakunle Fatukasi, LB Jourdan Heilig
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry
- Waived: DT Robert Cooper
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Cephus Johnson
- Waived: CB Duron Lowe
Hayes was signed one week ago as the Lions were dealing with injuries in the secondary, but he will now be on the lookout for another new team. The 25-year has appeared in 13 career regular season games while bouncing around the league.
The Raiders added one ex-Chiefs running back in Damien Williams yesterday, and they have done so again today. Thompson was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad in 2019, and remain with the Chiefs the following season. He made 31 combined regular and postseason appearances in Kansas City, but he has yet to see game action since 2020. Especially until Josh Jacobs returns to the Raiders, Thompson will aim to earn a depth role in the Vegas backfield.
Raiders WR Davante Adams Injured In Practice, Not “Crazy Serious”
The Raiders experienced a bit of a scare today when star wide receiver Davante Adams limped off the practice field with what appeared to be a right leg injury, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Luckily, it appears that disaster was averted as head coach Josh McDaniels claimed the injury was not “crazy serious,” per the staff at NFL.com. 
McDaniels told reporters today that, after a big hit took Adams out of practice, the veteran wide out had avoided a serious injury. Although the lick was bad enough to force Adams off the field, McDaniels asserted that it was a clean “bang-bang-play” devoid of any ill intent.
Adams has been a first-team All-Pro selection in each of the past three years and a Pro Bowler for the last six. The recognition becomes that much more impressive when you take into account that he missed at least one game in five of those six seasons, missing 10 games over his final five years in Green Bay.
He rebounded in a big way during his first season away from the Packers. Last year in Las Vegas, Adams played in every game of the season for the first time since 2016 and started every game of the season for the first time in his career. In doing so, he recorded his fourth 100-catch season, his second straight season with over 1,500 receiving yards, and led the league in touchdown receptions for the second time in three years.
Adams has proven that he can make an impact even while dealing with nagging injuries that hold him out of games here and there. Still, the Raiders would like to see their most-productive receiver enter the season with no restrictions. Although McDaniels’s assessment doesn’t seem to reflect that situation, it appears that the worst-case scenario has been avoided for now.
Raiders, RB Damien Williams Agree To Deal
Damien Williams‘ recent Raiders workout will lead to a mid-training camp agreement. The former Super Bowl starter agreed to terms with the team Friday, according to his agent (on Twitter).
Spending last year with the Falcons, Williams completed two auditions in the desert recently. The Cardinals went in another direction following Marlon Mack‘s injury, but Williams will end up with a Raiders team still without Josh Jacobs.
Staying away from the Raiders after the July franchise tag deadline came and went without an extension, Jacobs had left the Silver and Black without much at running back. The team has 2022 fourth-round pick Zamir White listed as its starter, and while Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden are still on the roster, neither profiles as a Jacobs fill-in. Williams would, though he has not seen extensive run since he last played for the Chiefs — back in 2019.
Williams, 31, joined Rex Burkhead in a recent Raiders workout. The Cardinals signed Stevie Scott following Mack’s Achilles tear, and Williams will attempt to crack another 53-man roster. While he has done so in each of the past two summers, Williams’ Falcons and Bears tenures did not involve extensive workloads. A lack of mileage has helped Williams stay active at 31. The former Dolphins UDFA has only 490 career touches on his resume.
The Falcons reached an injury settlement with Williams, who played just one game with the team after a 2022 deal. A rib injury sidelined Williams, who totaled only 56 touches during the 2021 season in Chicago. The Chiefs used Williams as their primary post-Kareem Hunt back but cut him following his 2020 opt-out decision.
Williams delivered dazzling playoff work in Kansas City between the 2018 and ’19 postseasons, totaling 10 touchdowns in five games during that span. The Hunt replacement amassed 540 scrimmage yards over those two postseasons. This included a 104-yard rushing performance in a two-touchdown Super Bowl LIV. Although Patrick Mahomes predictably edged Williams for MVP acclaim that night, the veteran back made important contributions to the Chiefs’ cause.
Due to his absence not technically qualifying as a holdout, Jacobs can stay away from the Raiders free of charge. But the reigning rushing champion will begin to miss out on game checks of $561K by remaining away from the team once the regular season begins. The Raiders can also rescind Jacobs’ $10.1MM tender, though that would be an extreme step — particularly as Josh McDaniels resides on a somewhat warmer seat in Year 2 at the helm.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/23
Here are the minor transactions from around the league as we wrap up training camp and officially head into the preseason:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Stevie Scott
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP: DE Jalen Redmond
- Waived from PUP: DL John Penisini
Chicago Bears
- Activated from NFI: WR Dante Pettis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry, WR JJ Koski
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Waived: WR Avery Davis
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DL Neil Farrell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived/injured: T Nicolas Melsop
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Waived/injured: G Koda Martin
New York Jets
- Reverted to IR: T Yodny Cajuste
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Terrance Mitchell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Anthony Montalvo
- Reverted to IR: CB Andrew Whitaker
- Waived/injured: OLB Josh Onujiogu
Raiders DE Tyree Wilson Expected To Be Available For Week 1
Well into August, the Raiders have not had their top rookie on the field at any point this offseason. Defensive end Tyree Wilson remains on the non-football injury list while recovering from surgery which addressed a Lisfranc injury.
The Raiders expected him to be activated in time for the start of training camp, but that has still yet to take place. Wilson was one of the more intriguing prospects in this year’s edge class due to his injury history. Vegas remained high on him, however, and stayed put at the No. 7 slot to select him. Despite his continued absence, head coach Josh McDaniels is confident Wilson will be cleared for the start of the season.
“I’m going to hope so,” McDaniels said, via Tashan Reed of The Athletic, when asked about Wilson’s projected Week 1 readiness (subscription required). “As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to be out there. There’s been nothing that has told us that that’s not going to happen.”
Wilson put up underwhelming numbers at Texas A&M but his production jumped considerably after transferring to Texas Tech. He posted 14 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss across his two years with the Red Raiders, putting him firmly on the first-round radar. Wilson should be expected to serve in a rotational role behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to start his pro career. The Raiders eyed Wilson in part to ease the workload of the latter two, but missed reps in training camp will surely hinder his early development.
In another development on the D-line, Jerry Tillery has seen time at defensive end during camp (Twitter link via Reed). The former Chargers first-rounder has primarily been used on the inside during his career, but his skillset has always lent itself more to pass-rush production than run defense. Especially with Wilson sidelined, there have been snaps available for Tillery – whom the Raiders claimed off waivers and subsequently re-signed on a two-year deal – to try his hand at practicing as a base end.
It will be interesting to see if the Tillery experiment continues once Wilson is cleared to return. The team is confident that will happen soon, and his presence will be welcomed as the Raiders look to turn the corner defensively compared to last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/23
Here are today’s minor moves as the weekend comes to a close:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from PUP: DT Jordan Phillips
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: TE Chase Allen
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: G Yasir Durant
Green Bay Packers
- Released: Danny Etling
Houston Texans
- Signed: DT Khalil Davis
- Claimed off waivers (from Commanders): G Keaton Sutherland
- Placed on IR: T DJ Scaife
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from PUP: DT Byron Young
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Da’Shawn Hand, CB Parry Nickerson
- Waived: DT Anthony Montalvo
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: DL James Lynch (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: RB Eno Benjamin (story)
New York Jets
- Waived/injured: LB Maalik Hall, LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OL Josh Andrews
- Waived/injured: WR Charleston Rambo
- Released: LB Davion Taylor
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Roderick Perry
- Activated from PUP: CB Tariq Woolen
- Waived: DE MJ Anderson
Washington Commanders
- Waived: G Keaton Sutherland
Andrews joins Philadelphia as a potentially strong depth piece on the offensive line. The seven-year veteran has played 48 games over the years with five different teams, so rejoining the Eagles, even with a new staff from when he left, shouldn’t be too big of an issue. Last year, he started five of the six games he played with the Saints.
Woolen underwent arthroscopic knee surgery back in May and was given a four-to-six-week recovery timeline. He was forced to start camp on the physically unable to perform list, but it’s time for him to make his way back to the field. Last year’s other starter at cornerback, Michael Jackson, has had a great camp and rookie Devon Witherspoon is pushing for a starting role, so Woolen will be glad to get back and reestablish his role in the secondary.
Chiefs, Broncos Interested In Josh Jacobs
The Raiders are running out of time to convince Josh Jacobs to report to the team, and rival organizations are already preparing for the possibility that the running back could be a late addition to the free agent pool. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the Chiefs and Broncos are “among the teams interested” in Jacobs if he has his franchise tag rescinded.
[RELATED: Josh Jacobs Hasn’t Reported To Raiders Camp]
As Florio notes, there are five options for the Raiders and Jacobs at the moment. The running back could simply accept his $10.1MM franchise tender, or the two sides could agree to an “enhanced deal” that offers more money (similar to Saquon Barkley and the Giants) or a promise to not tag him next offseason. Jacobs could also decide to sit out games, or the front office could try to find a taker via trade.
The fifth scenario would see the Raiders rescind the franchise tag, which would make Jacobs a free agent. As Florio notes, the player is “aware of the possibility and unconcerned about it.” While the running back would be hard pressed to recoup the $10.1MM on the open market, Jacobs would be fine taking the best deal from a contender.
So, in comes the Chiefs and Broncos. Kansas City would fit the bill of a contender, and they could offer Jacobs a role atop their depth chart. That spot is currently held by 2022 seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco, who had 960 yards from scrimmage as a rookie before adding another 262 yards in the postseason. The Chiefs are also rostering pass-catching RB Jerick McKinnon and former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but Jacobs obviously brings a stronger resume than any of those three backs.
It’s a stretch to describe the Broncos as a surefire contender, at least heading into the regular season. However, Florio notes that the organization would be a fit “at the right price.” Former second-round pick Javonte Williams is prime to lead the depth chart, but the running back is recovering from a torn ACL, LCL, and posterolateral corner. The Broncos also added Samaje Perine as insurance, but Jacobs would obviously provide a more established alternative to Williams.
Of course, the Chiefs, Broncos, and any other suitor would have to wait on the Raiders to blink and rescind the franchise tag. As Florio notes, this scenario wouldn’t allow Jacobs to maximize his overall value, but it would allow the player to stand on “principle” as running backs continue to navigate their declining market value.