The Las Vegas Raiders were suspiciously quiet on the waiver wire after the roster cut deadline. They only claimed one player despite having No. 1 priority.
That may be because they wanted to see how some things played out. The Raiders brought in a group of 16 players to try out for the team, and three of them earned a roster spot.
The Raiders announced that they have signed offensive lineman Evan Neal, wide receiver Ronnie Bell and defensive end Azeez Ojulari to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, we have released DE Jahfari Harvey, T Kamar Missouri, and TE Albert Okwuegbunam from the practice squad.
Neal is the biggest name of the group. He was the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Things just never worked out for him in New York. They tried switching him to guard with some success, but he missed all of last season with an injury. The talent is certainly there, but it remains to be seen if he’ll ever be able to put things together.
Ojulari is another notable signing. He was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He does have 22.0 career sacks, so he hasn’t been completely ineffective. He could be a situational pass rusher for the team at points in the season.
The Raiders have had a need at wide receiver, but Bell likely won’t move the needle much. He has 10-career catches and spent last season with the New Orleans Saints.
Raiders Have to Move on From 3 Players
The Raiders have to make room for Neal, Ojulari and Bell, which meant three players were on the chopping block. They decided to cut ties with defensive end Jahfari Harvey, offensive tackle Kamar Missouri and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. They were all previously on the practice squad.
Harvey joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent last year and was able to stick around, but the team decided to go with a veteran. Missouri was an undrafted rookie this year, but he’ll have to look elsewhere. Okwuegbunam was with the Raiders last season and even played a game, but the team is already deep at the position so they can afford to let one go.
Interesting Moves From Raiders
Time will tell if anything comes from these signings, but they are interesting. Neal is a certified draft bust, but he’s started in 27 games in his career. He’s never going to be the All-Pro player many thought he’d be coming out of college, but he could provide some good depth. The Raiders listed Neal as an offensive guard, so it appears likely he’ll stay in that position.
Signing Ojulari was a wise move after rookie Keyron Crawford was ruled out for the season with an injury. He didn’t have a sack last season, but he had 6.0 in 2024. He also had 8.0 sacks as a rookie. He’s capable of getting hot and putting pressure on the quarterback. That’s not bad to have on the practice squad. Even though these players are on the practice squad, the Raiders will have the right to elevate them for select games. If they play well, they could get active roster spots.
Raiders Cut Ties With 3 Players to Make Room for New Signings