Raiders waive fan favorite Tyron Johnson, make other moves

Preseason star wide receiver Tyron Johnson has been waived by the Raiders, the team announced Friday.

The move was one of several on a day in which the team did not practice ahead of Monday night’s divisional showdown against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Raiders added veteran wide receiver Albert Wilson to the practice squad, placed offensive tackle Justin Herron on season-ending injured reserve and signed linebacker Blake Martinez from the practice squad to the active roster.

Johnson became a fan favorite with his speed and ability to make big plays downfield throughout training camp and in the preseason. But that never translated to regular-season success, as Johnson saw four offensive snaps in the first four games.

“That’s the game of football,” Johnson said this week. “You might not even get a rep at practice and then play in a full game. Football is very mental. You have to be mentally in it all the time so that when it’s time to be in there physically, you’re ready. You can’t just turn that on.”

In his one snap Sunday against the Broncos, Johnson lined up wide right on a third-and-5 play in the third quarter and ran a deep route. Quarterback Derek Carr didn’t look his way, but Johnson’s presence and the speed with which he cleared the intermediate area of the field allowed Mack Hollins to get wide open on a crossing route and secure a catch for a first down.

“He’s showing some consistency. He wouldn’t be dressed for the game if he wasn’t doing that. … so we believe in what he can do,” offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi said Tuesday. “But when his opportunity comes, you got to make the most of it. He has a few packages in the game where he did a good job, but he just has to make sure he executes when his time comes.”

Johnson’s best season came in 2020 with the Chargers when he caught 20 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns. The first three receptions of his NFL career that season all went for at least 50 yards.

There’s a possibility Johnson could return to the team, but he would have to clear waivers.

His departure cleared the way for the Raiders to add Wilson. The 30-year-old spent four seasons with the Chiefs and four with the Dolphins. He was released by the Vikings late in training camp this year.

Wilson has 218 receptions for 2,499 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. The Georgia State product had 25 catches for 213 yards in Miami last season.

Martinez was promoted to the active roster spot created when Herron was placed on injured reserve because of a torn ACL suffered during Thursday’s practice.

Herron made his Raiders debut Sunday, mostly serving as a tackle-eligible when the offense was in heavy packages. He played 17 snaps, largely filling a role as an extra blocker that is often served by injured tight end Foster Moreau.

Martinez, a veteran linebacker who played for Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham with the Giants last season, was signed to the active roster just days after being added to the practice squad. He could play an immediate role with linebacker Denzel Perryman in concussion protocol.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.