ALAMEDA – Paging Jarrod Cooper?
The Raiders are a man short on the 53-man roster after waiving safety B.J. Ward and Cooper, a special teams ace and back up safety before being released this summer, reportedly worked out for the Raiders yesterday.
Cooper was the team’s best special teams player before being suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s steroid policy.
The Raiders cut him before training camp, partly because of the suspension.
Cooper was extremely popular among fans and teammates. He even sponsored a Raider tattoo contest last year, paying the winners with his own money.
A Cooper return would make sense.
The Raiders are thin at safety. Besides starters Stuart Schweigert and Michael Huff, Hiram Eugene is the only other safety. Nnamdi Asomugha could play safety in a pinch, but why move one of the best cover corners in the NFL?
Cooper knows the Raiders defense and I know the Raiders kick and punt returners would welcome a Cooper return. Cooper thrived on special teams and the Raiders are still looking for a big play in the return game.
Ward was a training camp star, that didn’t shine in the regular season. Known to hit hard in camp, Ward was last seen being run over by Ronnie Brown in Miami.
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Quarterback Josh McCown and defensive tackle Gerard Warren weren’t at practice this morning. LaMont Jordan (back) and Derrick Burgess (calf) were at practice.
-- Jason Jones
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