The Las Vegas Raiders were dealt a tough blow with wide receiver Amari Cooper abruptly retiring right before the start of the regular season. He was only with the team for a week, but he was supposed to bring a stable veteran presence to the wide receiver room.
However, the Raiders have to push forward, but there aren’t many great options available in free agency. That’s why the team has decided to keep things in-house for now.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Raiders have signed wide receiver Justin Shorter to their active roster. He was previously on their practice squad.
Shorter is a big body at 6-foot-4, and the Raiders were previously trying to convert him to tight end when he joined them last season. It appears that head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly think he’s best at wide receiver.
Shorter first came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, but he only lasted one season with the team. He played 10 games last season, but didn’t make any catches. For now, he’s mostly going to be a depth piece for the wide receiver room. He’s a big, physical player, so perhaps he can finally get a chance to carve out a role.
Do Raiders Eventually Need to Add Another WR?
Considering Shorter has never caught a pass in the regular season, the Raiders may look at him as a short-term solution. Eventually, the team could want to sign another veteran with a bit more experience.
There aren’t a ton of good options available. Gabe Davis could be poached from the Bills‘ practice squad, and Kendrick Bourne is a free agent. Other names might eventually become available, as well.
Jakobi Meyers Has Extra Motivation Against Patriots
The Raiders open their 2025 regular season against the New England Patriots on the road. Both teams are very similar. They have new coaching staffs led by proven head coaches with defensive backgrounds. They also added former head coaches as their offensive coordinators.
One player who has the game circled on his calendar is wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. He started his career with the Patriots and became a good player for them. However, when it came time to pay him, they let him walk in free agency. Meyers was honest about having a little extra motivation to face his former team.
“I mean, yeah, because I played there. Obviously, I’m human, you know what I mean?” Meyers said. “So, I’m excited just to get back and be in a familiar spot. But, as far as on the field, I’m going to be excited to be on the field, regardless. It don’t matter if it was there, here or wherever, for real, I’m going to go out there and enjoy it.”
A win on the road to start the season would be a great way to start the season for Las Vegas, especially with back-to-back games against playoff teams coming up after. The Patriots were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season, but they’ve made some major improvements, so it won’t be a walk in the park.
Raiders Sign Lengthy WR as Amari Cooper Replacement