Raiders Committed To Retaining Davante Adams
Davante Adams‘ future with the Raiders has been called into question on a number of occasions recently, but it appears secure for the time being. The All-Pro wideout will not be traded ahead of this year’s October 31 deadline, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
The Raiders made a major commitment in Adams in terms of draft capital (by sending the Packers their 2022 first- and second-round selections) and finances (by immediately inking him to a five-year, $140MM deal upon acquisition). However, the departure of quarterback Derek Carr – a major reason why Adams specifically targeted Vegas as his preferred post-Green Bay destination – has led to questions regarding his tenure with the Raiders.
The 30-year-old publicly questioned his fit within a Jimmy Garoppolo-led offense during the offseason, and the Raiders have seen mixed results on that side of the ball so far. Adams was a focal point in the team’s passing game through the first four games of the year, including a two-week stretch where he combined for 33 targets. In the pair of contests since then (both wins), however, the six-time Pro Bowler has been targeted only nine total times.
“If it don’t look like it’s supposed to look, then I’m going to be frustrated if I’m not a part of that plan,” Adams said earlier this week, via Schefter, when reflecting on his recent drop in usage. ”I have the opportunity to go and change that and make it look like a much better picture out there, and if that doesn’t happen, then I’m going to be frustrated. If Jakobi [Meyers] goes out and has a monster game or if the offense is scoring every five plays… then it is what it is. It’s not about me, but I’m one of the bigger pieces as to why this offense is going to go. And if I’m not getting it, then that’s obviously not according to plan.”
As Schefter notes, the Raiders have no interest in moving Adams regardless of his intentions regarding staying or leaving Vegas. A report from earlier this month pointed to him remaining committed to the Raiders, so today’s update comes as little surprise. On the other hand, though, a potential move has been on other teams’ radars recently.
Potentially interested clubs have “contemplated” making a move for Adams in the past few days, per Schefter, despite the high price which would be required to make a move feasible for the Raiders and the contractual obligations an acquiring team would take on. Adams is due a fully guaranteed $16.89MM salary next year, and his restructured pact calls for untenable cap hits of $44.1MM in 2025 and ’26. Teams gave thought to a trade involving Adams last year, Schefter adds, though they may not have been the same ones which considered a swap more recently.
In any case, the 3-3 Raiders – who will have Brian Hoyer under center on Sunday in place of the injured Garoppolo – will finish out the year with Adams still in the fold. It will be interesting to see how involved he is in the offense moving forward and how his relationship with head coach Josh McDaniels and the team’s front office evolves through the remainder of the campaign.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23
Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from NFI list: CB Garrett Williams
- Elevated: RB Damien Williams, CB Bobby Price
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: DL Lacale London, TE Tucker Fisk
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DT Kendal Vickers
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OL Doug Kramer
- Elevated: CB Joejuan Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Deon Jackson
- Elevated: QB P.J. Walker, LB Charlie Thomas
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: TE Greg Dulcich
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DE Josh Paschal
- Released: TE Darrell Daniels
- Elevated: RBs Mohamed Ibrahim, Devine Ozigbo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: OLB Justin Hollins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: QB Nathan Rourke
Kansas City Chiefs
- Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Cornell Armstrong
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, S Mark Webb
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New England Patriots
- Elevated: WR Jalen Reagor, DT Trysten Hill
New York Giants
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Jalen Mayfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: C Joey Hunt
- Waived: OL Ben Brown
- Elevated: WR Easop Winston, RB SaRodorick Thompson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Abdullah Anderson, CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.
The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.
Raiders To Start Brian Hoyer In Week 7
With Jimmy Garoppolo set to miss another contest on Sunday, the Raiders have a decision to make regarding who they start under center in Week 7. Rookie Aidan O’Connell and veteran Brian Hoyer represent the team’s options, and a commitment appears to have been made. 
Las Vegas will start Hoyer against the Bears, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. That means Week 7 will mark his first start since last season in his second stint in New England. Hoyer signed a two-year deal in free agency this offseason despite giving serious consideration to retirement, a move which reunited him with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
The latter tapped O’Connell in Week 4 to make his NFL debut, a sign of confidence in the fourth-rounder. He went 24-for-39 for 238 scoreless yards and one interception in a loss to the Chargers. O’Connell added one rushing touchdown, but his three fumbles no doubt gave McDaniels and the coaching staff pause about when to give him another opportunity in regular season action.
Garoppolo is dealing with a back injury which caused him to be transported to hospital midway through the Raiders’ Week 6 win over the Patriots. It came out yesterday that he will miss Sunday’s game, opening the door to Hoyer seeing an extended look. It was the 38-year-old who came in as relief after Garoppolo’s exist last week, delivering a 94.6 passer rating in limited action while helping guide the team to a victory.
Now sitting at 3-3, the Raiders will turn to Hoyer against a Bears team which will also be without its starter on Sunday. Justin Fields‘ thumb injury will sideline him for at least one full contest, clearing the way for undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent to get his first NFL start. The last time Hoyer won a game he started, meanwhile, came back in 2016 when he played for the Bears. His next opportunity to end that drought will come in Chicago on Sunday in a battle of the backups.
Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo To Miss Week 7
For the second time this season, the Raiders will be without their starting quarterback. The back injury Jimmy Garoppolo sustained Sunday will sideline him for Week 7, with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore confirming the 10th-year passer will miss the Bears matchup.
Considering Garoppolo needed to be hospitalized after the injury, it certainly is not surprising to see the Raiders exercise caution with one of the NFL’s most injury-prone players. Garoppolo also missed Week 4 with a concussion.
Although the Raiders received better-than-expected news on their recent free agency pickup, Garoppolo being down opens the door to a steep drop-off at quarterback for the 3-3 team. The Raiders used fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell in Garoppolo’s last full-game absence, which featured a Khalil Mack six-sack barrage against his former team, but veteran Brian Hoyer replaced Garoppolo against the Patriots. The Raiders have not determined which backup will start against the Bears, Bonsignore adds.
This will likely become a matchup of backups. The Bears are not expected to have Justin Fields, who suffered a dislocated thumb last week. Tyson Bagent, whom the Elias Sports Bureau notes would only be the fourth Division II quarterback to start in the past 20 years, is expected to receive the call against Las Vegas. Ex-Raider Nathan Peterman is in place as the rookie UDFA’s backup.
Commanding a decent market this offseason, Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal. The former New England and San Francisco passer missing starts always seemed likely, given his history. Week 7 will mark the former Super Bowl starter’s 32nd missed regular-season start due to injury since he suffered an ACL tear in September 2018.
The 31-year-old QB has generally been effective when available, but his lack of durability made the Raiders’ backup plan somewhat curious this offseason. Hoyer, who turned 38 last week, is the oldest healthy QB in the league (the NFL’s oldest active passer, Aaron Rodgers, went down four plays into the season). The former Josh McDaniels Patriots pupil also considered retirement this offseason; he signed a two-year, $4.5MM deal that includes $4.2MM guaranteed. O’Connell shined during the preseason, but he came to Vegas as the No. 135 overall pick. The Raiders met with each of this draft’s top five QB prospects but went in another direction during the selection weekend.
O’Connell took seven sacks and fumbled three times against the Chargers, though he did complete 61.5% of his throws during a 238-yard performance. Hoyer has made 40 career starts. After a productive mid-2010s stretch in Cleveland and Houston, Hoyer came into this season having lost his most recent 11 starts. The 15th-year veteran did help the Raiders past the Patriots during a 10-pass relief outing.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/23
Minor transactions from around the league today:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB Tony Jones Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to active roster: S Micah Abernathy
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: QB Nathan Rourke
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: CB Tyler Hall
- Placed on IR: S Roderic Teamer
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: G Justin Pugh
- Signed off Eagles’ practice squad: OL Tyre Phillips
- Waived: TE Lawrence Cager
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: WR Cody Thompson
The Giants are dealing with an unprecedented epidemic at offensive tackle right now as their injury report starts to read like a phone book. Already missing starter Andrew Thomas and primary backup Matt Peart, New York went into Sunday night’s game with Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu bookending the line. Pugh had recently been brought in to help address the team’s depth at guard, but when Ezeudu exited the game with a toe injury, and was subsequently placed on injured reserve, Pugh kicked out and played the rest of the game at tackle with the first-team offense. Pugh will now serve as depth at tackle, as will Philips, who started his career in Baltimore as a guard before proving his versatility for the Ravens and Giants. He started five games for New York last year.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/18/23
Wednesday’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Jacob Saylors, S Arnold Tarpley III
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Michael Bandy
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE John Samuel Shenker
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Trishton Jackson
New England Patriots
- Signed: DE William Bradley-King, RB Patrick Taylor
- Released: DL Manny Jones, WR T.J. Luther
New York Giants
- Signed: G Jalen Mayfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Cody White, T Greg Eiland
- Released: QB Holton Ahlers
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/17/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Andrew Adams
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB Trace McSorley
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Mohamed Ibrahim
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Anthony Johnson
- Released: CB Kiondre Thomas
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Tyrod Cleveland, RB Zavier Scott
- Released: WR Racey McMath, WR Anthony Miller, G Dakoda Shepley
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Isaiah Moore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Jalen McKenzie
- Released: WR Malik Flowers
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Quinton Bell
New England Patriots
- Signed: OT Conor McDermott
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/23
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: S Jaylinn Hawkins
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off Giants practice squad: S Alex Cook
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: G Michael Dunn
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to active roster: WR Juwann Winfree
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released from reserve/retired: LB Blake Martinez
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR: DE Chase Winovich
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Trishton Jackson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed off Steelers practice squad: CB Josiah Scott
- Waived: CB Mario Goodrich
QB Updates: Tannehill, Lawrence, Garoppolo
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who left Tottenham Hotspur Stadium yesterday on crutches, has reportedly suffered a high ankle sprain on his right leg, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. This type of injury routinely requires a decent amount of recovery time, putting his status for the team’s next game in doubt, but with a bye week between now and then, it’s not a guarantee that he will be unavailable the next time Tennessee takes the field.
Head coach Mike Vrabel relayed to the media that this injury looks similar to Tannehill’s injury last year, going on to specify that he was referencing the first ankle injury Tannehill suffered earlier in the season and not the one later on that would require surgery, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reported further comments from Vrabel stating that, if healthy, Tannehill would still be the team’s starting quarterback.
Here are a few other injury updates to passers in the AFC:
- On a short week, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s status for this week’s Thursday Night Football trip to New Orleans is in question. According to Ian Rapoport, after he injured his knee in last week’s win over the Colts, MRIs revealed a slight knee sprain that could threaten Lawrence’s availability. Lawrence wouldn’t normally need to practice much in a short week anyway, but while nursing a knee sprain, they’ll likely only test his knee out to determine his status for this week’s contest. Backup quarterback C.J. Beathard would step in if Lawrence isn’t able to go.
- After sending quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the hospital mid-game yesterday, the Raiders received “better than expected news” after a flurry of tests, per Rapoport. They sought out the hospital’s assistance with their superior equipment as they evaluated Garoppolo for injuries to his ribs and back and ruled out any internal injuries. While not ruling it out completely, Rapoport claimed it would be “a challenge” for Garoppolo to play this week. If he’s unable to go, either Brian Hoyer or fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell would get the start in Chicago. Hoyer sealed the victory in relief of Garoppolo over their former team yesterday, while O’Connell got the start in the Raiders’ Week 4 loss to the Chargers.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/23
Practice squad moves from today:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Amani Oruwariye
- Released: TE Derek Parish
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR DJ Turner, CB Sam Webb
- Placed on practice squad IR: T Sebastian Gutierrez, TE Noah Togiai
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB Lew Nichols
- Released: RB Bryant Koback
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT Abdullah Anderson
- Released: DE William Bradley-King
