Raiders report: Team loses gamble on linebacker prospect

When the Raiders made the difficult decision to release linebacker Drake Thomas after a strong preseason, there was a hope he would clear waivers and be eligible to return.

That didn’t happen.

Thomas was claimed by the Seahawks and will continue his career on the active roster in Seattle.

Essentially, the Raiders gambled and lost.

“You take a chance obviously with every player that you release and try to get back to your practice squad,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “I think there were 24 players claimed out of 1,200 or whatever it was that were released, so the odds are technically in your favor until they’re not.”

Thomas made an impression after signing with the Raiders as an undrafted rookie free agent, particularly with a 10-tackle performance against the Rams.

“He was a great kid, gave us everything he had,” McDaniels said. “He’s going to contribute to an NFL roster. He was competitive in the kicking game, competitive on defense. It’s just one of those things where you try to create the right 53, and sometimes you’re going to miss out on a guy here if you want to keep working with them on the practice squad.

“Wish him nothing but the best, he’ll do a great job there. They got a good football player.”

Another player the Raiders released, veteran wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, signed with Denver after the Broncos suffered several injuries at the position.

Number changes

Now that the roster has been significantly reduced, more numbers have been opened up.

Several Raiders elected to take advantage of that and have been reassigned their preferred jerseys after settling for what was available when they first joined the team.

Rookie wide receiver Tre Tucker first switched from No. 89 to No. 14 before settling on No. 11.

Cornerback Jakorian Bennett has decided to wear No. 0. While legendary offensive lineman Jim Otto made his jersey No. 00 famous, Bennett will become the first single-zero in franchise history.

Nesta Jade Silvera will wear No. 99, Chris Smith will switch to No. 29, and veteran tight end Austin Hooper will return to his familiar No. 81, which wasn’t available when he signed with the team.

They’re back

The Raiders got a pair of projected starters on the line of scrimmage back at practice Wednesday.

Defensive end Chandler Jones and offensive guard Dylan Parham were on the field during the indoor session at the team facility after missing extended periods with undisclosed injuries.

Practice squad

The Raiders started to fill out their practice squad with several familiar names and a few new ones.

They will have 17 spots available, one more than most teams, because they elected to place David Agoha from the International Player Pathway Program on the practice squad.

Agoha, who has been playing organized football for less than a year, recorded a sack against the Rams in the preseason.

Defensive tackle Matthew Butler, a 2022 fifth-round pick who appeared in six games as a rookie, was brought back a day after he was waived. The same goes for offensive linemen McClendon Curtis and Netane Muti, tight ends Cole Fotheringham and John Samuel Shenker, safety Jaydon Grant, cornerbacks Tyler Hall and Sam Webb, linebacker Kana’i Mauga, running back Sincere McCormick and defensive end Isaac Rochell.

Wide receivers Devin Ross and Antoine Wesley are the newcomers to the group.

The Raiders still have three open spots to fill.

The 25-year-old Wesley, a Texas Tech product, has played for the Ravens and Cardinals. He spent last season on injured reserve in Arizona with a torn quadriceps. He had 19 catches for 208 yards and three touchdowns in 2021.

Ross, 28, played collegiately at Colorado and spent the USFL season with the Michigan Panthers.

He was part of the Patriots’ practice squad for several years.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.