Raiders cut several players, work way to 53-man roster

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Raiders made a good dent Friday on their roster, parting with several players before Saturday’s NFL-mandated cutdown.

They aren’t finished yet. Far from it.

Tight end Gabe Holmes and running back George Atkinson III were among the several Raiders players notified Friday of their release, sources said. This was the first of two transaction waves, as the team must whittle its way from a 90- to 53-man roster by 1 p.m. Saturday.

Center-guard Oni Omoile, safety Rickey Jefferson, cornerback Chris Humes and guard Kareem Are were some of the others waived, sources said.

Omoile confirmed his departure with a statement he released on Twitter. He joined the team in 2016 as an undrafted rookie from Iowa State and is a cousin of Kelechi Osemele, the Raiders’ star left guard.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better place to start my NFL career,” Omoile wrote. “Thanks for everything Oakland.”

Holmes’ departure likely indicates the Raiders will feature only three tight ends on their initial 53-man roster. Jared Cook, Lee Smith and Clive Walford all are expected to be active Week 1 against the Titans. It is possible the team could carry a fourth, although proceeding with three allows it to stock an extra player at another position, such as a ninth offensive lineman.

As with seemingly everything in the NFL, there is strategy to roster cuts.

Some teams such as the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints are transparent with their Friday releases. The Ravens, in particular, announced 18 cuts while placing six others on injured reserve; they’re almost to 53. But most other teams, including the Raiders, choose not to disclose what they do Friday. The longer other teams in the league are unaware of their roster moves, the less time those teams have to scout and potentially claim their impending free agents on waivers.

The Raiders hope to re-sign some of their released players this weekend via the 10-man practice squad.

This won’t be possible if, before Sunday at 9 a.m., a team submits a waiver claim for a player whom the Raiders were targeting.

Cutting a player is not the only way to create roster room. Injuries offer options. The Raiders are expected to place linebacker Ben Henney on the Non-Football Injury List, rendering him inactive for the first several weeks of the year. He’ll be eligible to be activated midseason. Likewise, some players can be placed on injured reserve.

Safety Keith McGill, guard-tackle Denver Kirkland, linebacker Cory James, wide receiver Isaac Whitney and safety Obi Melifonwu all missed Thursday’s preseason finale because of injury.

Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.