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The Raiders claimed receiver Greg Little off waivers, adding another player to a competitive position group. The team formally announced the transaction on Monday afternoon.
Little was released by Cleveland on Friday. The Browns deemed the fourth-year pro expendable after adding Miles Austin and Earl Bennett late in free agency.
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The Raiders are getting an intriguing talent notorious for dropping passes. While reliability was of concern, Little was a starter in three seasons with the Browns. His production, however, has waned. He had a career-worst 41 catches for 465 yards last season and had just two touchdowns. He had eight drops and had seven passes intended for him get intercepted.
His best season was his first, when he had 61 catches for 709 yards in 2011.
Little isn’t the No. 1 receiver the Raiders were hoping to find in the draft, but the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder could add dimension to the receiver corps. He’ll have to prove reliable during training camp to make a team with several young and talented receivers, but there was little risk in this pick up.
The Raiders will take over a contract that owes Little $753,750 in base salary, a $75,000 workout bonus and expires at season’s end.
Little joins a receiver corps that includes James Jones, Rod Streater, Denarius Moore and Andre Holmes. Juron Criner and Brice Butler also return, with several undrafted free agents in the mix.
Competition should be high at the position, with far fewer roster spots than there are worthy players.
Little’s motivation should be high after Cleveland essentially gave up on him despite a possibility that Josh Gordon could be suspended for the season.
The Raiders play at the Browns in Week 7, a date already circled on Little’s calendar.
October 26, 2014 is definitely circled beleedat!
— Greg Little (@Str8UpGlittle) May 19, 2014
The Raiders also signed two undrafted free agents. They added linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu and cornerback Janes Watson after participating in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
Cornerback Johnny Adams, linebacker Frank Beltre and reciever D.J. Coles were released in corresponding moves.
