Raiders part ways with former Browns safety Damarious Randall

Damarious Randall has been cut by the Raiders after signing with the team this offseason.

The Las Vegas Raiders gave their often-mocked secondary a facelift this offseason, using a first-round draft pick on Ohio State corner Damon Arnette before scooping up Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson in the fourth round.

While veteran safety Damarious Randall probably thought he was going to make some plays at Allegiant Stadium, Jon Gruden has cut that dream short by giving him his pink slip.

The Raiders informed Randall that he doesn’t fit in with their new-look secondary, cutting him a week for the start of the 2020 season. Erik Harris and 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram are expected to start at safety given Randall’s departure.

Damarious Randall was coming off of an up-and-down season with the Browns

Randall was picked 30th-overall in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, who immediately converted the former college safety into a cornerback. Randall had his moments, but his inconsistency eventually prompted a trade to the Cleveland Browns. Randall recorded 2.5 sacks and four interceptions under Hue Jackson and Freddie Kitchens in Cleveland, but Kevin Stefanski chose not to retain him.

Randall’s cut did come as a bit of a surprise, as he only made one official practice with the team due to injury. It’s hard to lock down a starting role, or indeed any role at all, when you have all of one day to state your case.

Randall has been a bit of a mixed bag in the NFL, but a player who started for five straight seasons and offers a unique blend of versatility and physicality shouldn’t have to wait long for offers to roll in. If Paul Guenther’s defense gets lit up again, Raider haters will point to the Randall cut as evidence Gruden made a major personnel faux pas.