Getty Ex-Las Vegas Raiders CB Madre Harper.
The roster cuts keep coming for the Las Vegas Raiders and they’ve decided to thin out their secondary early. The first casualty was Prince Amukamara earlier in the week and then they let go of Damarious Randall on September 4. News has also dropped that the team has cut undrafted free agent rookie cornerback Madre Harper.
The #Raiders cut rookie CB Madre Harper, per source.
Harper played his college ball at Southern Illinois but was first at Oklahoma State before he transferred. He’s very raw but boasts elite athletism. He’s 6-foot-2 and runs a 4.42 40-yard dash. Harper’s got the things you can’t teach but lacked a lot of technique heading into training camp. Players like Harper have been hurt by the lack of OTAs and preseason games. He never had a real chance to make the Raiders’ regular-season roster but not all is lost for him yet.
Harper Will Have a Chance to Go to Practice Squad
Because he’s a rookie, Harper will have to clear waivers before he can decide what’s next for him. He’s a very strong candidate to make the Raiders’ practice squad. He has the athletism you’d want to see from an NFL cornerback, but he’s got a lot to learn. The practice squad would be the perfect place for him to take the time to develop.
It’s highly unlikely a team puts in a claim for him. Undrafted rookies with very little hype don’t typically have teams lining up for them. However, he’s a very good project for the Raiders to have. With the expanded practice squad roster this year, the team will be able to keep a lot of guys like Harper. If they have the chance to keep him, it’s hard to imagine they don’t. He survived all of training camp while a lot of other players were let go. They clearly like him at least a little bit.
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Other Practice Squad Candidates
The Raiders will be able to keep up to 16 players on their practice squad this year so they will be a lot of young players who will get a second chance with the team. Wide receiver is a position group to watch. There’s a possibility that three or four wide receivers who played in regular-season games last year get cut. Should Marcell Ateman, Keelan Doss and/or Rico Gafford get cut soon, any one of them could get put on the practice squad. All three of them have been on a practice squad before.
Linebacker Javin White has a real shot at making the active roster. He put together an impressive training camp and coaches and players have singled him out as a standout rookie. If he doesn’t make the roster, it’s very possible another team swoops him up. If that doesn’t happen, the Raiders will almost certainly try to put him on the practice squad.
As unlikely as it might sound, Tanner Muse shouldn’t feel too safe. The third-round pick has reportedly struggled greatly with the transition to linebacker. It’s highly unlikely the Raiders cut him but if they do, they’ll definitely try to get him on the practice squad.
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