Silver and Black Report

The Raiders, who had to pare 22 players from the roster by today’s deadline, made the following moves to get to the NFL-mandated 53-man roster limit, according to Inside Bay Area’s Jerry McDonald (UPDATE: the Raiders confirmed the transactions an hour or so later):

• Placed on injured reserve: WR Arman Shields (D4b-08).
• Waived: OL Jesse Boone, DB Darrick Brown, DL Derrick Gray, DE Greyson Gunheim, WR Johnathan Holland, FB Luke Lawton, S Nate Lyles, WR Chris McFoy, P Glenn Pakulak, RB/KR Louis Rankin, FB/TE Marcel Reese, OG Brandon Rodd, CB Nick Sanchez, LB Shane Simmons, TE Darrell Strong, S Marviel Underwood, CB/KR Michael Waddell and TE Chris Wagner.
• Released: SS/OLB Adam Archuleta, RB Adimchinobe Echemandu and DT Josh Shaw.

The moves mean young receivers Todd Watkins and Chaz Schilens made the roster, for now, with Shields sitting out the season.

There was no Quentin Moses-esque shock to this year’s cuts, although there is always a yearly group of veterans good enough to get serious playing time last season for another team, but not good enough to make this season’s Raiders. Safety Greg Wesley and defensive end Greg Spires were already cut, and safety/linebacker Archuleta joined them on the waiver wire.

The surprises probably tended toward who is still on the team, including undersized defensive end Trevor Scott, the sixth-round pick, Mr. Everything offensive lineman/tight end/defensive lineman Fred Wakefield and backup tackles Mario Henderson and Seth Wand, who struggled mightily at times during the preseason. The Raiders kept 11 offensive linemen, depending on where you count Wakefield.

The Raiders also kept seven linebackers, with “bubble” players Robert Thomas (and his newly dislocated kneecap) and Sam Williams keeping their spots behind apparent strongside starter Ricky Brown. Oakland kept five safeties as well, with both Hiram Eugene and Rashad Baker making the squad.

Meanwhile, only four running backs were kept, with backup fullbacks Lawton and Reese both waived.

Lyles, Sanchez, Simmons and Underwood were all late-camp pickups as warm bodies at the bottom of the roster, while Pakulak’s release means Shane Lechler should be punting for the Raiders on Opening Night.

Candidates for the practice squad, if they clear waivers, include Brown, Gunheim, Rankin, Reese and Strong all of whom drew notice at times in camp, plus Boone and Holland, who were part of the team’s inactive roster in 2007.

It’s been an up-and-down tenure for Lane Kiffin draft picks: In 2007, seven of 11 made the roster, with three of those barely playing (and two more on reserve due to injury):

• Quarterback JaMarcus Russell (1), tight end Zach Miller (2), tackle Mario Henderson (3b), kick returner Johnnie Lee Higgins (3c), cornerback John Bowie (4b), defensive end Jay Richardson (5b) and fullback Oren O’Neal (6) stuck on the 53-man roster, though Russell saw only spot duty and Henderson and Bowie combined to play three games.

• Running back Michael Bush (4a) and wide receiver Johnathan Holland (7) spent the year on reserve.

• Defensive end Moses (3a) and safety Eric Frampton (5a) didn’t make the team at all.

This year, however, four of five stuck — running back Darren McFadden (1), safety/kick returner Tyvon Branch (4a), defensive end Scott (6) and Schilens (7).

But, three more 2007 picks were either placed on injured reserve (Bowie and O’Neal) or sent packing (Holland).

That means of Kiffin’s two draft classes, only nine of 16 players will be contributors in any way this year.

There is, of course, always the possibility the Raiders will pick someone up before Monday night’s game with the Denver Broncos — a veteran wide receiver being high on the “want” list, and depth at fullback and offensive tackle looking like real needs.

Among ex-Raiders getting whacked by other teams, former starting safety Stuart Schweigert managed to get cut by his second NFC East team of the offseason, with The Star-Ledger reporting he was released by the New York Giants.

The 53-man breakdown:

• QB (3): JaMarcus Russell, Marques Tuiasosopo, Andrew Walter

• RB (4): Justin Fargas, Justin Griffith, Darren McFadden, Michael Bush

• WR (5): Javon Walker, Ronald Curry, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Todd Watkins, Chaz Schilens

• TE (3): Zach Miller, John Madsen, Tony Stewart

• OL (11): Kwame Harris, Robert Gallery, Jake Grove, Cooper Carlisle, Cornell Green, Mario Henderson, Paul McQuistan, Chris Morris, John Wade, Fred Wakefield, Seth Wand.

• ST (3): Jon Condo, Sebastian Janikowski, Shane Lechler

• DL (8): Derrick Burgess, Terdell Sands, Tommy Kelly, Jay Richardson, Kalimba Edwards, William Joseph, Trevor Scott, Gerard Warren

• LB (7): Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison, Ricky Brown, Jon Alston, Isaiah Ekejiuba, Robert Thomas, Sam Williams

• CB (4): DeAngelo Hall, Nnamdi Asomugha, Chris Johnson, Stanford Routt

• S (5): Michael Huff, Gibril Wilson, Rashad Baker, Tyvon Branch, Hiram Eugene

• IR (5): John Bowie, Drew Carter, Oren O’Neal, Arman Shields, Mark Wilson