The Las Vegas Raiders announced that they placed defensive end Maxx Crosby and running back Rod Smith on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Crosby is obviously the big name of the bunch as he was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up last season. The former fourth-round pick came out of nowhere to have 10 sacks in his rookie season to go along with 47 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and four pass deflections.
Smith joined the Raiders towards the end of last season and re-signed this offseason although is a long shot to make the roster, especially now that he will be missing valuable training camp time.
Just because Crosby and Smith were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list does not mean they have contracted the virus as it could just be that they came in contact with someone that tested positive. The Raiders recently placed running back Devontae Booker on the same list although he has already been activated off it, so it could be a short stay for both Crosby and Smith as well.
Crosby later confirmed on his Instagram, howveer, that he has tested positive, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
https://t.co/fPfdjGuLAa pic.twitter.com/f83lEIaaJJ
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) August 7, 2020
The team also took to Twitter to announce they signed free agent linebacker Bryce Hager, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams, although the tweet has since been deleted.
Linebacker was a position of need for the Raiders this offseason, spending big money on both Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. It remains to be seen if they are now bringing in a former teammate of Littleton’s in Hager, who the Rams drafted in the seventh round in 2015 out of Baylor.
In five games (four starts) last season, Hager had 11 total tackles before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. He has 48 total tackles in 69 career games.
If Hager makes the Raiders’ roster then he will provide them with some depth at the linebacker position while also likely making an impact on special teams.
The team still has plenty of roster cuts to make though, so there certainly is no guarantee he’s still with the Raiders come Week 1, even they even agree to terms in the first place.
