Getty Ex-Raiders WR Rico Gafford.
It appears the first Las Vegas Raiders free agent is on the move. According to Anthony Galvaiz of the Fresno Bee, wide receiver Rico Gafford has signed a Reserve/Future deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
Former #Raiders WR Rico Gafford signed a reserve/future contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He appeared in eight games with the Raiders since 2018.
Gafford became a fan favorite for the Raiders last season thanks to his elite speed. He’s truly one of the fastest players in the NFL. Despite that fact, he didn’t get a chance to make a lot of plays. Gafford was a defensive back in college but the Raiders transitioned him to wide receiver. Once the team decided to draft Henry Ruggs in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Gafford didn’t have much of a role.
He was cut early in the season and then brought back on the practice squad. He only got the chance to play in three games this season and didn’t catch a single pass. Gafford’s speed makes him an intriguing prospect for the Cardinals. If he continues to grow as a wide receiver, he could be a decent deep threat.
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Raiders Re-Sign Liam McCullough
The Raiders lost Gafford but they’re bringing back a familiar face. The team recently announced the signing of long snapper Liam McCullough to a Reserve/Future contract. The former Ohio State Buckeye was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent shortly after last year’s draft.
It’ll be a long road for McCullough to make the team this time around. Trent Sieg is entrenched as the Raiders’ long snapper and there’s no reason to think the team wants to make a change. Regardless, McCullough will get every chance as Las Vegas has been very good to undrafted players.
Is Keelan Doss Done With Raiders?
The Raiders recently announced the signings of 11 players who spent much of the year on the team’s practice squad. One name that was notably missing was Keelan Doss. The 2019 training camp star hasn’t done much of anything since becoming popular on Hard Knocks.
For a brief moment, it looked like the Raiders found an absolute steal. Doss got plenty of opportunities last season to make an impact due to a litany of injuries at wide receiver. He didn’t take advantage of those opportunities and spent all of 2020 on the Raiders’ practice squad.
The fact that the team didn’t sign him to a Reserve/Future contract likely means he’s going to look for a fresh start. Thanks to his impressive 2019 offseason/preseason, Doss could get a chance with another team. His big body and solid hands should make him an intriguing player. He’s not likely to get anything more than a Reserve/Future contract. He still has a chance to make an impact as a pro but he’s going to have to impress a new team. There’s always the possibility that he decides to return to the Raiders. It’s fair to assume they’d bring him back on the practice squad if he wants to return.
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