Raiders resort to 3rd rookie specialist, add kicker Matt McCrane

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Raiders will proceed with a 23-year-old punter and holder who has three NFL regular-season appearances, a 23-year-old long snapper with two, and now a 24-year-old kicker who will make his league debut Sunday on a joint-use field.

A rookie trio was completed Tuesday when the club agreed to sign Matt McCrane after a Tuesday workout, a source said. McCrane was one of five free-agent kickers who competed at Raiders headquarters. He will replace injured veteran Mike Nugent, who is unavailable for Sunday’s home game against the Cleveland Browns.

On Sept. 10, the Raiders began their season with a fairly experienced battery on special teams.

Within two weeks, it became battered.

Andrew DePaola, 31, was the long snapper, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in punt coverage during the first quarter of the first game. Trent Sieg, who spent training camp with the Baltimore Ravens, was signed in his place. Sieg went undrafted.

Nugent, 36, was the kicker, but he injured his hip Sunday before kicking through the ailment against the Miami Dolphins. He joined the Raiders in August. His job became solidified when rookie Eddy Pineiro suffered a groin injury in training camp.

Now, the team will rely on a rookie kicker after all.

McCrane went undrafted out of Kansas State and spent the offseason with the Arizona Cardinals. He compiled a fantastic preseason, converting all four field-goal attempts, including from 53 and 54 yards, and three extra points.

On Tuesday, the Raiders also worked out Giorgio Tavecchio, their 2017 incumbent whom they cut in August. Michael Badgley, Jon Brown and Trevor Moore were the others. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia played an instrumental role in the workout and signing selection.

Because the team shares the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with the Oakland Athletics, Sunday’s game will be played on a multisurface terrain featuring a dirt infield. Punter Johnny Townsend, a fourth-round pick, is the Raiders’ only specialist who has played a game on it.

Gruden remains patient

With a 0-3 start, coach Jon Gruden continues to balance his competitive, win-now nature with a patient, long-term view of the future.

“It’s hard,” he said Monday. “It’s hard to trade one of the best players on a franchise (defensive end Khalil Mack). It’s hard on the players. We didn’t get anything from him that’s going to help us this year.”

Gruden acknowledged the process that a true turnaround could entail.

“The results will happen,” he said. “It might not happen this week. It might not happen this month, next month. But we’re going to get results here, and we’re going to continue to get this Oakland Raider football team back on track.”

Notable

■ The Raiders released a statement Tuesday regarding former linebacker Neiron Ball, a 2015 fifth-round pick. “The Raiders ask that Neiron Ball and his family are kept in the thoughts and prayers of the Raider Nation during this difficult time. Ball is currently in a medically induced coma after suffering a brain aneurysm on Sept. 16.” He is 26.

■ Wide receiver Jordy Nelson reached 21.05 and 20.97 mph when sprinting on his 61- and 66-yard receptions in Sunday’s first quarter, according to Next Gen Stats. Those were the sixth- and eighth-fastest speeds across the NFL in Week 3. Nelson caught eight passes for 173 yards. He is 33.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.