Getty Gerri Green attempting to tackle Tyree Jackson.
The Las Vegas Raiders may have avoided any trades this season but that didn’t stop them from making a move. The team announced shortly after the trade deadline passed that they’ve signed defensive end Gerri Green to the practice squad.
We have signed DE Gerri Green to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, we have released DE Breeland Speaks from the practice squad.
Green was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He didn’t make their roster heading into last season but got a chance with the New England Patriots. He only lasted a couple of weeks there before he was cut. Green got another chance on the Colts’ practice squad and spent the whole season with the team. His most recent team was the Washington Football Team.
Green hasn’t played an NFL game yet but he’s got really good speed for a defensive end. He runs a 4.63 40-yard dash. With the recent addition of David Irving, Green probably won’t get a chance to get promoted to the active roster anytime soon but he’s an interesting project for them to work on.
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Breeland Speaks Doesn’t Get a Chance
Speaking of projects, it looks like the Raiders didn’t see enough from Breeland Speaks as he was cut to make room for Green. The defensive end was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He didn’t last long there despite his high draft status.
He’s been on the Raiders practice squad for a few weeks now but never got a chance to play a snap with the team. With Speaks getting cut, it’s safe to call him a draft bust. Las Vegas doesn’t have a strong defensive line and really need somebody to step up. Speaks wasn’t that guy and he’ll now be looking for new employment.
Raiders Stay Put at Trade Deadline
Despite having some serious needs on defense, the Raiders decided to take it easy at the trade deadline. They weren’t even involved in any substantial trade rumors. It was a surprising development as the team has a serious need at safety and on the defensive line. Obviously, they’re content enough to roll with what they got.
That’s a big vote of confidence that has struggled this year. That said, they do have some reasons to at least be hopeful. Damon Arnette should be returning from injury soon which should give the secondary a boost. Also, the Raiders have young and new players all over the defense. It’s reasonable to believe that there are a number of guys who could get better as the season goes on. So far, signs haven’t been great but things also can’t get much worse.
The Raiders are proving to be strong playoff contenders this season so it would’ve made sense for them to try to get better by making a trade. Based on how little activity there was across the league, it appears that there weren’t many big players.
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