Raiders Sign Recently Released Young WR
The Las Vegas Raiders‘ wide receiver room needed a jolt, and they’re hoping the addition of a 33-year-old Tyler Lockett will at least help. To make room for Lockett, the team had to cut Justin Shorter.
Luckily for the young wide receiver, he wasn’t in free agency long. The Raiders announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed Shorter to the practice squad.
#RAIDERS ROSTER MOVE:
– Signed WR Justin Shorter to the practice squad
Shorter has played in all seven games for the Raiders, but hasn’t recorded a reception. He has value on special teams, so perhaps he’ll be able to get back on the field. Even though he’s on the practice squad, it doesn’t mean he can’t get promoted to the active roster.
The former Buffalo Bills fifth-round pick clearly has fans on the Raiders’ coaching staff, so it’ll be interesting to see if he still has a role at some point this season.
Latest on Jakobi Meyers
It’s possible that the Raiders will have an opening at wide receiver soon. The NFL trade deadline is closing in, and Jakobi Meyers still wants a trade.
The Raiders need to decide if they want to offer Meyers an extension or are willing to trade him. It doesn’t make much sense to keep him right now and let him walk in free agency.
There are multiple teams that should have an interest in Meyers. He’s a really good No. 2 wide receiver who has some of the best hands in the NFL. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave the latest update on his status with the Raiders.
“Teams I’ve talked to believe that Meyers has a decent chance to be dealt — possibly the best chance among available wide receivers,” Fowler wrote. “Las Vegas has received interest in the seven-year veteran, and my sense is the Raiders want a strong pick for Meyers. A swap of Day 3 picks won’t do at this stage.
“Several teams are believed to be in the receiver market, most notably the Steelers and possibly the Broncos and Bills. Meyers clearly wants out, and the Raiders are in a transitional phase. They just signed veteran Tyler Lockett, which could ease the loss of dealing Meyers. Pittsburgh is keeping tabs on this one but is prepared to be patient, too. If I had to predict a destination right now, I’d say the Steelers.”
Should Raiders Extend Meyers?
Meyers seems like he’d prefer to get traded away at this point. That said, he could still be open to signing an extension if the Raiders made the right offer.
Meyers is a good player and good in the locker room. Teammates speak very highly of him. The Raiders don’t have a lot of great options at wide receiver, so it would make some sense to extend him.
The problem is that Meyers is already 28 and turns 29 in November. He might not match the Raiders’ timeline. Plus, the hope is that rookie Jack Bech eventually develops into the same type of player as Meyers. If the Raiders think they can make enough moves to make a playoff push next year, it makes sense to extend Meyers, but if they’re taking a more patient approach, then it’s time to trade him.
Even after locking up Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions’ approach to adding defensive help hasn’t shifted
During each of the past three years, the Detroit Lions have made a move at the trade deadline. That pattern could repeat in 2025, but for now, the team does not appear likely to swing a notable deal.
“I love where we’re at,” head coach Dan Campbell said when speaking about the Lions’ situation (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I think the roster is in, I think it’s healthy, I think it’s in a good position. I think we have depth, but like I say [general manager Brad Holmes is] always looking to improve the roster.”
The Lions sit at 5-2 on the year, even with the Packers for the most wins in the NFC North. Topping the division – if not the conference altogether – is once again within reach in 2025. That would point Detroit to a buyer’s stance, with Birkett naming depth in the pass rush department, along with the secondary and at the tight end position as logical targets. Indeed, in the wake of the Aidan Hutchinson extension, it was reported that the Lions’ stance on acquiring defensive help has not changed.
Detroit’s cap setup for future years will include a number of massive commitments for recently extended players. Adding a player with term would be challenging as a result, but the team has over $25M in cap space for this year. Bringing in a rental should therefore be feasible.
Hutchinson’s season-ending injury from last year made an EDGE addition a key priority and resulted in the Za’Darius Smith acquisition. The Lions have not been linked to a trade candidate in 2025 to the same extent they were widely known as Smith’s likeliest destination last season. Nevertheless, there is time until Tuesday afternoon’s deadline to work out a trade.
Campbell added that he and Holmes have “brought up a couple of things” on the trade front recently. As the Lions look to rebound from last year’s playoff disappointment, their health on defense in particular will be worth monitoring. With several key players on that side of the ball due to return shortly, no major moves should be expected.
Dan Campbell had the most predictable response to Aidan Hutchinson's huge extension
Dan Campbell has a very unique way of communicating and speaking with just about anyone. We saw it in
Well, Campbell is also very known for going hard for his players, especially those who embody the Lions' spirit of overcoming adversity. Aidan Hutchinson has done just that, rebounding from his broken leg in 2024 to come back as a major force for the teams' defense. His monstrous extension, signed on Wednesday, is a huge acknowledgement of that.
Campbell had nothing but wonderful things to add about the extension, and it's hard not to read this message - shared by SI's Albert Breer - without reading it in Campbell's exact, passionate cadence.
Campbell offers on-brand response to Hutchinson's extension
Hutchinson has been "complete" as Campbell states to Breer here. He's got six sacks, which is at a slightly lower pace than we saw him working at in 2024 prior to his broken leg. But, what's stood out for Hutchinson so far this year is his proficiency at punchouts. He's forced four fumbles already this season, which is tied for first place in the NFL.
Those turnovers and potential turnovers generated by Hutchinson help to cover up the injuries that have completely bogged down the Lions' secondary. While the "Legion of Whom" have stepped up in a big way as the team awaits the return of Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold, and D.J. Reed, it helps that Hutchinson is up front and ready to be a disruptor before the ball gets in the air.
Hutchinson has a long road ahead to be considered a top contender for the Defensive Player of the Year honor for this season. Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons is leading that pack, followed closely by the ever-explosive Myles Garrett. Hutchinson still has a shot, though. And, maybe his extension will provide even more pop to his game than already existent.
With the return of Alim McNeill to the defensive line, it's even more likely that Hutchinson can focus on piling up on sacks this season. The attention is no longer solely on him, if you're an offensive lineman, and that bodes well for his ability to get to double-digit sacks soon.
