ALAMEDA — Special teams mainstay Jarrod Cooper headlined a group of six players pared from the Raiders roster on Monday.
The Raiders also waived linebacker Grant Irons and defensive end Greg Spires and placed on the injured-reserve list wide receiver Drew Carter, fullback Oren O'Neal and cornerback John Bowie. Carter, O'Neal and Bowie now are ineligible to play for the Raiders this season.
Carter and O'Neal sustained left knee injuries in Saturday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Both players are slated for surgery in the coming days. O'Neal's multiple injuries might be career-threatening, Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said.
Monday's moves left the Raiders roster at 76, one over the limit required by today's deadline. All teams need to be at 53 players by Saturday afternoon.
Carter is entitled to the entire $1.8 million base salary he was slated to earn this season. The Raiders saved almost $2 million against the salary cap through the other moves.
Also Monday, Oakland signed veteran fullback Luke Lawton and defensive backs Marviel Underwood and Nate Lyles.
Lawton, who turns 28 today, appeared in four games for the New York Jets in 2005 and 11 for the Indianapolis Colts last season. The Colts traded Lawton to the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason. Lawton was released by the Eagles last week.
Underwood, 26, is an Oakland native who graduated from San Leandro High School and played at San Diego State. He appeared in 16 games for the Green Bay Packers in 2005, missed the '06 season with a knee injury and bounced on and off the Packers roster last season. He was signed and released by the Denver Broncos during the offseason.
Lyles, 22, went undrafted out of Virginia in April and later released by the New York Jets.
Cooper, 30, met with Kiffin and his teammates Monday morning and told them of his desire to retire after seven seasons in the NFL. Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Cooper failed to turn in the required paperwork before the Raiders released him.
Rookie defensive back Tyvon Branch's performance also made Cooper expendable. Branch has excelled in the gunner role, Cooper's specialty, and also has the potential to play defense. Cooper, a safety, spent all or parts of the past four seasons with the Raiders.
Bowie has been hampered by a knee injury throughout training camp. The Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft with the pick they received from the New England Patriots for receiver Randy Moss. Bowie appeared in two games last season.
Bush on the move
Second-year player Michael Bush is being tried at fullback in light of O'Neal's injury. He sounded less than thrilled by the prospect, though he vowed to give it a shot. "That's a way to get on the field more," Bush said. "I've always been a team player, too, so it's one of those things, you just suck it up, go about your business and try to have some fun with it."
Extra points
Rookie receiver Arman Shields returned to practice for the first time in several weeks. He missed Oakland's first three exhibition games and most of training camp because of a knee injury. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (ankle), safety Rashad Baker (ankle), punter Shane Lechler (quadriceps) and kicker Sebastian Janikowski (hamstring) did not practice. Janikowski said he expects to play at least one half of Friday's game at Seattle. He kicked Sunday and reported no pain.
— Steve Corkran
http://www.contracostatimes.com/raiders/ci_10301757
