The Raiders have signed 23-year old CB/KR/PR Bryan McCann.  McCann played in 5 games earlier this year for the Cowboys & Ravens and he has 1 tackle.  McCann has also returned 2 punts for 13 yards (6.5 avg) and 3 kickoffs for 79 yards (26.3 avg) so far this year.  McCann has now played in 14 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 16 tackles, 1 interception (he returned it for a TD), 2 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.  McCann also has returned 10 punts for 178 yards (17.8 avg) with 1 TD return and he has also returned 26 kickoffs for 586  yards (22.5 avg) so far in his career.  This was a good pickup for the Raiders as McCann can help them on both special teams and defense.

The Raiders have signed 34-year old WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  Houshmandzadeh played in all 16 games for the Ravens last year and he caught 30 passes for 398 yards (13.3 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  He has now played in 135 games so far in his NFL career and he has caught 616 passes for 7,091 yards (11.5 avg) with 43 TD grabs.  Houshmandzadeh gives Carson Palmer a good hands guy that he knows well, so I like this signing for the Raiders.

With Sebastian Janikowski hurting, the Raiders have signed 28-year old kicker Dave Rayner.  Rayner played in 8 games for the Lions last year and he connected on 13 of 16 field goals (81.3%).  He also made all 16 of his extra points last year as he finished up with 55 points.  Rayner has now played in 51 games in his NFL career and he has made 55 of 75 field goals (73.3%).  He has also connected on 64 of 65 extra points as he has 229 points in his career.  I think Rayner will do a solid job for the Raiders until Janikowski is ready to return to action.

UPDATE:  (10/26/2011) – The Raiders have waived Dave Rayner.  He played against the Chiefs last weekend and he kicked the ball off 1 time.  The Raiders got shut out, so they didn’t really give Rayner a chance to show what he can do.  This is a good sign for the Raiders as Sebastian Janikowski appears ready to return after this week’s bye.

The Raiders have signed 26-year old safety Chinedum Ndukwe.  Ndukwe played in 12 games for the Bengals last year and he had 60 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1/2 a sack, 1 fumble recovery, 3 passes defensed and 1 interception.  He has now played in 53 games in his first four years in the NFL and he has 257 tackles, 18 passes defensed, 6 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 6 tackles for a loss.  The Raiders were lucky to find a player like Ndukwe sitting at home on his couch at this point of the season.

UPDATE:  (11/11/2011) – The Raiders have released Chinedum Ndukwe.  Ndukwe played in 2 games for the Raiders and he had 2 tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass defensed.

The Raiders have re-signed 27-year old LB Ricky Brown.  Brown spent the preseason with the Patriots.  He played in 14 games for the Raiders last year and he had 13 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 forced fumble.  Brown has now played in 55 games in his first five years with the Raiders and he has 102 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 3 tackles for a loss and 4 passes defensed.  Brown’s biggest job will be on special teams but he will also provide depth at LB for the Raiders in 2011.  They were smart to bring him back.

The Raiders have signed 30-year old CB Lito Sheppard.  Sheppard played in 13 games for the Vikings last year and he had 18 tackles and 4 passes defensed.  He has now played in 117 games in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has 302 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 81 passes defensed and 19 inteceptions (3 returned for TDs).  Sheppard is likely running low on gas, but he could still help the Raiders in a reserve role in 2011.

UPDATE:  (9/4/2011) – The Raiders have released Lito Sheppard.

UPDATE:  (11/1/2011) – The Raiders have re-signed Lito Sheppard.

The Oakland Raiders sign safety Matt Giordano.  Giordano played in 9 games for the Saints last year and he had 3 tackles.  He has now played in 69 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has 85 tackles, 8 passes defensed and 3 interceptions (1 returned for a TD).  Giordano could get some P.T. on D for the Raiders and he will also help them out on special teams.

UPDATE:  (9/4/2011) – The Raiders have released Matt Giordano.

UPDATE:  (9/5/2011) – The Raiders have re-signed Matt Giordano.

The Raiders have signed 28-year old safety Josh Bullocks.  Bullocks played in all 16 games for the Bears last year and he had 11 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  Bullocks has now played in 90 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has 291 tackles, 27 passes defensed, 6 interceptions, 1 sack, 5 forced fumbles and 2 tackles for a loss.  He could get some big time P.T. with the Raiders due to the injury of Hiram Eugene.

UPDATE:  (8/31/2011) – The Raiders have released Josh Bullocks.

The Raiders have signed 26-year old WR Derek Hagan.  Hagan played in 7 games (4 starts) for the Giants last year and he caught 24 passes for 223 yards (9.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 59 games (5 starts) in his first five years in the NFL and he has caught 85 passes for 969 yards (11.4 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Hagan is a possession receiver which is something the Raiders really don’t have on the roster right now, so he might just make the team as the #4 or #5 WR in 2011.

The Raiders have signed 26-year old WR Chad Jackson.  He last played in the NFL back in 2008 with the Broncos.  Jackson has played in 18 games (1 start) in parts of three years in the NFL and he has caught 14 passes for 171 yards (12.2 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  He also has carried the ball 4 times for 22 yards (5.5 ypc) so far in his NFL career.  Jackson can also help out on special teams if needed as he has returned 5 punts for 83 yards (16.6 avg) and 14 kickfoffs for 268 yards (19.1 avg) so far in his NFL career.  Jackson is a longshot to make the Raiders’ opening day roster but it doesn’t hurt to give him a shot.