The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t make any big headlines when they cut their roster to 53 players. Once the rosters across the NFL were set, dozens of players were available to be claimed off the waiver wire.
Since the Raiders had the No. 1 pick in the draft, they had No. 1 priority on the waiver wire. Despite that power, they only put in one claim for former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Darrell Luter.
With that addition, the Raiders had to release one of the players who just made the active roster. The unfortunate player was revealed to be cornerback Decamerion Richardson.
He was on the bubble at the end of the preseason, but he had to be happy with the fact that he made the initial roster. Richardson first came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Raiders in 2024. That was when Tom Telesco was still the general manager of the team.
He started seven games as a rookie, but didn’t get any starts last season. He played in 15 games, but didn’t put up any stats of note. Richardson is 6-foot-2 and runs a 4.34 40-yard dash. He’s a great athlete. The Raiders have to be hoping he clears waivers so that they can add him to the practice squad.
Are Raiders Done Making Moves?
With the way the NFL is, the Raiders’ roster for the start of the season likely won’t be set until the first snap is taken against the Miami Dolphins. However, Las Vegas seems happy with what they have.
Their practice squad doesn’t feature any outside players, and Luter is the only new player they’ve added. The roster will evolve throughout the season, but barring any injuries, it seems like the Raiders are happy.
This is a bit of a surprise, as there are some needs. The Raiders could use another defensive end after Keyron Crawford got sent to the Injured Reserve. The team is also very questionable at wide receiver. Head coach Klint Kubiak even recently called out the group. Perhaps he liked the way they responded to his tough love and is happy to see what they can do during the regular season. There’s also the fact that the Raiders almost certainly know they aren’t ready to compete for a playoff berth yet. This season is about identifying and developing young talent.
Raiders Defensive Improvements
The Raiders should be excited about their secondary. Even before adding Luter, things were promising. Luter has shown flashes, so he could also end up being an impact player with a bigger role.
The linebacker room is also much better with Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean coming in. The depth behind them is questionable, but those two players are a big upgrade over what the team had last season.
The defensive line is a concern. Maxx Crosby is a superstar, but it takes more than one player to get after the quarterback. There’s not much the Raiders can do now, especially with Crawford done for the year. The defensive line will be a likely target for the team next offseason.
Raiders Cut Ties With Former Tom Telesco Draft Pick to Make Room for New Player