Waller back on field after lengthy hamstring issue
Return coincides with star signing with a new agent
Darren Waller was back on the practice field Wednesday, just hours after signing with a new agent.
“Darren’s good,” Raiders coach
Josh Mcdaniels said before the team’s indoor practice. “Darren’s good to go, so you’ll see him today.”
The star tight end had practiced once since July 30, out because of what was reported as a hamstring issue, though there also were rumors that his absences were related to his desire to get a new contract.
Waller signed with a new agent Wednesday morning, but Mcdaniels declined to say whether that development was related to his return to the practice field.
“I don’t really know anything about that whole thing, that whole situation yet,” Mcdaniels said.
Waller, who cut ties with Klutch Sports last week, signed with Drew Rosenhaus, the longtime agent told the Review-journal.
Waller has two years left on the contract he signed in 2019 and has been seeking a new deal that pays him comparatively to the top tight ends in the NFL. His current contract has no more guaranteed money.
According to ESPN’S Adam Schefter, Rosenhaus said the hope “is to get this deal done as soon as possible.”
Bears bail out Raiders
The Bears claimed former Raiders offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood off waivers Wednesday and will take a chance on resurrecting the 2021 firstround pick’s career.
More important for the Raiders, the move lets them off the hook for Leatherwood’s guaranteed money.
The Raiders released Leatherwood after one season as part of their final round of cuts Tuesday.
Had Leatherwood gone unclaimed, the Raiders would have been responsible for the remaining $5.9 million on his contract and the former Alabama star would have been a free agent.
Also Wednesday, former Raiders safety Tyree Gillespie was claimed by the Jaguars a day after he was waived by Tennessee.
The Raiders traded him to the Titans in training camp for a conditional pick but will receive no compensation because he didn’t make the roster.
Munford returns
Offensive lineman Thayer Munford returned to practice for the first time in nearly two weeks.
The rookie out of Ohio State has earned the trust of the coaching staff and could be in the mix to start at right tackle.
“He’s earned his opportunities through what he’s done,” Mcdaniels said. “He’s put his head down, and as I’ve said since we got him, he played against a lot of good competition in college football.”
Practice squad forms
The Raiders kept only eight offensive linemen on the initial 53-man roster, and Mcdaniels indicated there are no immediate plans to add to that number.
Practice squads have expanded to 16 players, and they can be called up to the active game-day roster three times, so there is greater flexibility.
The Raiders signed 14 players to the practice squad Wednesday. All of them have been with the team for all or most of the offseason.
“It’s eight (offensive linemen) plus whatever the practice squad is going to be,” Mcdaniels said. “Certainly you don’t want just eight linemen on the team for practice purposes, etc. You’re going to need more depth, which we’ll have. And when it’s right and when it’s necessary, when it’s the right person, when we feel like it’s the right thing to do for the team, we’ll put somebody up.”
Offensive linemen Bam Olaseni, Hroniss Grasu and Jordan Meredith were added to the practice squad after not making the initial 53-man roster. All three were on the practice field Wednesday.
The secondary also appeared to be a primary area of focus on the practice squad. Cornerbacks Ike Brown and Bryce Cosby and veteran safety Matthias Farley were added.