The expected:

Wide receiver Drew Carter and fullback Oren O’Neal, both out for the season after suffering knee injuries in this weekend’s preseason game, were placed on injured reserve.

The surprising:

Special teams ace Jarrod Cooper was released, amid reports the popular safety intends to retire.

The in-between:

Veteran defensive end Greg Spires, like Carter a free agent signed this off-season, and linebacker Grant “Game Ready” Irons, attempting to make a comeback from back troubles, were waived.

Cornerback John Bowie, forever known for being drafted with the “Randy Moss pick” in 2007, was placed on injured reserve, his knee injury rendering him unable to go. Like Carter and O’Neal, Bowie’s season is over.

The additions:

The Raiders claimed fullback Luke Lawton, last of the Philadelphia Eagles, off waivers to replace O’Neal. They also signed defensive back Marviel Underwood.

The transactions leave the Raiders with 76 players on the roster (80 minus six plus two), meaning one more player must be cut to reach the limit tomorrow, and more if other players are added.

By Eric Strauss, S&B Report Staff Columnist

A couple of weeks after re-signing quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, the Raiders brought back another member of the 2006 squad, signing free agent linebacker Grant Irons today.

Irons, who was in the starting lineup early for Art Shell, suffered a back injury and missed the majority of the season on injured reserve. He was then released prior to last season’s training camp.

According to head coach Lane Kiffin on Raiders.com:

We signed LB Grant Irons this morning to give him a chance and see if he can make the team, add more depth for us and more competition. [Irons] has worked extremely hard, really has worked hard for two years to have an opportunity and we worked him out yesterday and he is really in phenomenal shape for a guy who has not been in an NFL program, so we will give him a chance.

Irons was signed late in the injury-plagued 2003 season and played in 26 games, with four starts, over three-plus years. He switched from a defensive end/defensive tackle to outside linebacker when defensive coordinator Rob Ryan joined the team in 2004 and implemented a 3-4 defense.

Although the Raiders have returned to a 4-3 defense, Irons will stay at linebacker, Kiffin said.

The Notre Dame product is the son of former Raider Gerald Irons, who spent six years in Silver & Black in the 1970s.

Rookie free agent Shane Simmons, a linebacker out of Western Washington, was released to make room on the roster.