Getty D.J. White covering Amari Cooper.
Based on how the Las Vegas Raiders played against the Kansas City Chiefs, it looks like the defense is finally coming together. However, the team does remain thin at cornerback as they didn’t immediately sign replacements for Damon Arnette or Madre Harper. That finally addressed the need and signed former Chiefs cornerback D.J. White to the practice squad.
We have signed DB D.J. White to the practice squad.
White came into the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2016. He played in 11 games with the Chiefs as a rookie but only lasted one season with the team. He’s bounced around the NFL quite a bit and has spent time with seven teams, including the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys.
White isn’t likely a difference-maker for the team but he’s been in the league for a while now and brings a veteran presence to the practice squad. The Raiders have had a lot of injury scares in their secondary this season so there’s a real shot that White gets a chance to see the field this season.
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Jon Gruden Hoping to Get Healthy During Bye Week
Fortunately for the Raiders, they got to the bye week just in time. They’re feeling high after beating their archrival and they’ll have a chance to get healthy. Las Vegas has been among the teams that have been hit the hardest with injuries. They could get a chance to have several important players return to the field following the bye week.
“I’m not a big fan of the bye weeks, I never really have been. I like to keep playing, I’d like to play doubleheaders sometimes, but it is part of the schedule as you know so in some ways it will give Trent Brown an additional couple of days to respond to his first game. We’re hoping Richie Incognito can come back. Maurice Hurst, Maliek Collins, Damon Arnette, Bryan Edwards, we got a lot of guys that are still on the mend. So I’ll take this bye week, this year at this time,” head coach Jon Gruden said.
Arnette coming back in Week 7 is probably a pipe dream but there’s a good chance Incognito, Hurst, Collins and Edwards will be back. That would be a huge boost heading into a tough game against the Tom Brady-led Tampa Buccaneers squad. The Raiders have a really good roster when they’re healthy.
Can Raiders Defense Keep It Up?
The Raiders defense shocked the world on Sunday as they were able to slow down one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL. It wasn’t a perfect performance but it was definitely a confidence booster. The Raiders have faced strong offenses for most of the season and have frequently got lit up.
The game against the Chiefs proved that this defense does have potential when they’re firing on all cylinders. The Buccaneers are loaded with weapons and will be a stiff test for the defense. It’s way too early to say the Raiders defense has turned things around but they’ve taken a step in the right direction.
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