Free-agent LaFell added to receivers
The Raiders added an experienced passing target for Derek Carr on Monday, signing freeagent receiver Brandon LaFell.
LaFell, 31, had 52 catches for 548 yards and three touchdowns last season with Cincinnati. The ninth-year veteran was released by the Bengals in August at his request, according to NFL Network.
The Raiders waived receiver Johnny Holton to make room for LaFell, who has had stints with the Panthers (2010-13), Patriots (2014-15) and Bengals.
“I felt like this was a team that was a contender,” LaFell said. “Not this last season, but the year before, before Derek got injured, they were one of the favorites in the league.
“To play with coach (Jon) Gruden, play with Derek, Amari (Cooper), Jordy (Nelson), Seth (Roberts), a young group of guys — other than Jordy being an old guy like me — it was just an opportunity that I felt I could come in and I could play.”
LaFell joined Monday’s practice late and said he worked mostly on “just getting my legs back under me.” With a week before the Raiders’ season opener against the Rams, LaFell said he’ll work to learn the offense “as soon as possible.”
“Some of the formations are similar to what I did the last two years at Cincinnati,” LaFell said. “So hopefully, me lining up is not a problem. It’s just trying to get the terminology or the code words down.”
Oakland’s receiver group consists of Cooper, Nelson, Roberts, LaFell, Dwayne Harris and Keon Hatcher.
Holton had nine catches for 218 yards and three touchdowns last season, also recording 17 special-teams tackles, mostly as a gunner on punt coverage.
Roster moves: The Raiders claimed defensive tackle Brian Price off waivers from the Cowboys and waived defensive tackle Treyvon Hester on Monday, the team announced.
Price (6-foot-3, 303 pounds) played in eight games last season with Dallas, totaling eight tackles, and one game in 2016 with Green Bay. Hester had 19 tackles and a forced fumble in 14 games for Oakland last season.
The Raiders also added three players to their practice squad: defensive backs Terrell Sinkfield and Rico Gafford and offensive lineman Denver Kirkland. Their practice squad is full at 10 players.
Gafford (5-10, 184), signed with the Titans as an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming in May and was waived Friday. Sinkfield (6-1, 195), 27, originally signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent in 2013 but has not played in an NFL game, playing from 2014 through ’16 in the CFL. Kirkland was among the Raiders’ cuts Saturday; he played in six games for Oakland in 2016.