The Las Vegas Raiders defensive line is the deepest it’s been in years, which means some good players are going to have to get let go. The team used a fourth-round pick on defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. last year but he only got on the field for nine games in 2022.
With Farrell being on the roster bubble, the Raiders were able to get some value with him without having to cut him outright. According to an August 29 Twitter/X post from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Las Vegas is sending Farrell to the Kansas City Chiefs for a sixth-round pick.
Intra-division trade: With Chris Jones still holding out, the Chiefs traded a sixth-round draft pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for DT Neil Farrell, per sources.
That’s not great value for the Raiders considering they only recently used a fourth-round pick to get the defensive tackle but it’s better than letting him go for nothing. Intra-divisional trades are a rare occurrence, especially with two teams that hate each other as the Raiders and Chiefs do. However, this could actually be a beneficial move for both sides. The Chiefs need defensive line depth with Chris Jones holding out and the Las Vegas didn’t want to cut the former fourth-round pick.
Isaac Rochell Released
With roster cuts underway, there are hundreds of players who are starting to hit free agency again. Neil Farrell wasn’t the only defensive tackle the Raiders moved on from. Isaac Rochell announced on his Twitter/X account that he has been let go by Las Vegas.
I’ve been released by the @Raiders
Rochell joined the team toward the end of last season and played in one game. The Raiders saw enough from him to bring him back this offseason but the defensive line is too deep for him to earn a spot. Rochell has been in the NFL since 2017 and has 9.5 sacks over his career. He’ll likely be able to land with another team due to his experience. He could also be a strong candidate to earn a spot on the practice squad.
Other Defensive Roster Cuts
It’s one of the busiest days of the NFL offseason for the Raiders and they are making some really tough cuts. Linebacker Drake Thomas has been a standout in preseason but that wasn’t enough to earn him a spot on the active roster. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Thomas has been let go.
Drake Thomas has been released by the @Raiders. He has to go through waivers, but of he clears (no guarantee) he is a strong candidate to be on the practice squad)
Thomas is just a rookie so the Raiders will likely try to get him on the practice squad but they’ll need him to clear waivers. He’s played well enough in the preseason that another team might try to poach him.
In addition to Thomas, Bonsignore has reported that Sam Webb is getting let go.
CB Sam Webb and DL Isaac Rochell are both practice squad possibilities for @Raiders after being released today
Releasing Webb is tough. He played in all 17 games for the team last season, including three starts. The Raiders added a lot of cornerbacks to the roster this offseason so keeping Webb was going to be tough but he should be a priority for the team to try and get on the practice squad.
The Raiders have also let go of a newer addition. 2023 free agent signing Jaquan Johnson is being released, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Raiders have released veteran safety Jaquan Johnson.
Johnson is a veteran and should be able to land with another team. Letting him go is a testament to how Marcus Epps and Tre’von Moehrig have looked this offseason.
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Raiders Pull Off Rare Trade With Rival Chiefs: Report