Raiders begin cuts to reach 53-player roster limit

Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden calls to his team as he stands next to running back Ryan Yurachek (44) before an NFL football preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll, left, shakes hands with Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, right, following an NFL football preseason game, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Seattle. The Raiders won 30-19. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jon Gruden engaged Friday in maybe the one part of NFL coaching he missed the least.

Roster cuts. And the toughest round awaits.

Almost a dozen Raiders players were known to have been notified of their impending release. Gruden began those meetings Friday morning, just hours after the team returned to the Bay Area following Thursday night’s 30-19 victory at the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale. Rosters must be reduced from 90 to 53 players by 1 p.m. Saturday.

People familiar with the decisions said wide receiver Isaac Whitney, tight end Pharaoh Brown, center/guard Cameron Hunt and center James Stone were among those waived. Others included cornerback Raysean Pringle, cornerback Antwuan Davis, defensive tackle Connor Flagel, cornerback Jarell Carter and safety Quincy Mauger.

These moves, none of which constituted a surprise, were an important push toward a 53-man roster. Answers to some of the most lingering roster questions, however, won’t come until Saturday.

Gruden and the Raiders are sorting through their logjam at wide receiver. They have eight receivers who have demonstrated they belong on an NFL roster. While the team is expected to keep no fewer than six, seven would hamstring the Raiders to build elsewhere, and eight is unrealistic.

Johnny Holton, rookie Marcell Ateman and Keon Hatcher are pushing for a spot. Hatcher helped himself Thursday by catching eight passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns in Seattle.

On the defensive line, the Raiders appear likely to part with Mario Edwards Jr., a 2015 second-round pick. He played into the fourth quarter Thursday. Fadol Brown has outplayed him. Edwards could be waived if the team cannot identify a trade partner.

Others are on the roster bubble. Their fate will be finalized soon.

Notable

— The NFL declined comment Friday morning about what appeared to be a news report within the Raiders’ TV broadcast. Commentators discussed a potential forthcoming four-game suspension for cornerback Daryl Worley, who was arrested in May before the Raiders signed him. On Friday afternoon, ESPN reported Worley is indeed subject to a four-game suspension, pending an appeal. The Raiders declined comment.

— Seth Roberts is not part of the intrigue at wide receiver. “He’ll be an Oakland Raider this year, and we’re excited about that,” Gruden said Thursday.

— Marshawn Lynch is coming to Las Vegas. At 4:24 p.m. Saturday, the running back is scheduled to open an 1,800-square-foot retail location for his Beast Mode brand. It will be located at Space C-165 of Town Square Las Vegas.