Raiders Cut Ties With 25-Year-Old WR to Make Room for Tyler Lockett
The Las Vegas Raiders have been desperate for some wide receiver help, and they may have found it with their decision to sign Tyler Lockett. The former Pro Bowler was linked to the team in the offseason due to his ties to head coach Pete Carroll, but decided to go with the Tennessee Titans instead.
That didn’t work out, and he asked for release, which has led him to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, that meant a player had to lose their spot on the roster. The Raiders announced on Monday that they’ve waived wide receiver Justin Shorter in order to make room for Lockett.

#RAIDERS ROSTER MOVES:
– Signed #17 WR Tyler Lockett
– Waived WR Justin Shorter
The former fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills joined the Raiders last season and was able to stick around this year. Though he played in all seven games, he was mostly relegated to special teams play. He only logged five offensive snaps this season.
Shorter should have a strong chance to end up back on the practice squad if he’s able to clear waivers. The Raiders liked him enough to keep him on the active roster to this point, so they should like him enough to keep him in the building, unless he decides to sign elsewhere.
What Can Lockett Bring to Raiders?
Lockett has been a very good wide receiver in the past. He’s been named to three All-Pro teams due to his return ability, but he also has four seasons in which he has had over 1,000 receiving yards.
However, Lockett is 33 now and has been on a steady decline. He only had 600 receiving yards last season and has just 70 yards in 2025. Luckily, he has a built-in rapport with quarterback Geno Smith and could be a security blanket for him. Smith has really been struggling, so having a player he knows very well to throw to could help him work out the kinks.
Does This Mean Jakobi Meyers Is on His Way Out?
The NFL trade deadline is nearing, and the most obvious candidate to get moved from Las Vegas is Jakobi Meyers. He’s the team’s best wide receiver, but he’s on an expiring contract and will likely leave in the offseason.
With Lockett on the roster, it would make it easier to move on from Meyers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave the latest on a possible trade of the wide receiver.
“Meyers wanted a new deal before the season and didn’t get one despite a trade request,” Fowler wrote. “He appears poised for 2026 free agency. He leads the Raiders in targets (42) despite missing Week 7, and he is drawing interest at an ideal time for a Raiders team in transition. But there’s no consensus leaguewide on exactly what Las Vegas will do. Multiple execs told me they believe the team is open to a deal but is not actively looking for trade partners. Another, however, believes the Raiders would prefer to wait until after the season to make any sweeping changes, due in part to the presence of Pete Carroll. The type of offers that roll in over the next two weeks could determine the course of action here.”
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