Raiders add 2 veteran DBs and 1 G

Pete Carroll reunites with Jamal Adams while also signing JT Woods, Atonio Mafi and Phillip Dorsett

The Las Vegas Raiders’ veterans report to training camp on Tuesday, and the defense will have a couple of new defensive backs in the secondary. According to NFL insiders Jordan Schultz and Ian Rapoport, the Raiders have signed safety Jamal Adams and cornerback JT Woods.

Originally a first-round pick by the New York Jets in 2017, Adams played for Las Vegas’ head coach Pete Carroll from 2020 to 2023 with the Seattle Seahawks. Last season, he suited up for the Tennessee Titans but participated in just three games for the Titans before suffering a hip injury and asking for his release, which Tennessee granted. The safety went on to sign with the Detroit Lions in December, appearing in two contests until the Lions let him go on New Year’s Day.

Woods was drafted in the third round by former Raiders’ general manager Tom Telesco in 2022, when Telesco was with the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Woods played in just 13 games with one start before getting released by the Chargers at the end of training camp last season. He had stints on the Philadelphia Eagles’ and Chicago Bears’ practice squads in 2024 but didn’t appear in a game. The Seahawks signed the cornerback to a future/reserve contract in January, but waived him at the beginning of July.

Heading into training camp, the Raiders needed help in the secondary, since the team could have as many as five new Week 1 starters in the defensive backfield compared to Week 1 of last year.

Adams will compete with free-agent signing Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, who started 14 games in Las Vegas a year ago. Also factoring into the mix at safety are free-agent addition Lonnie Johnson Jr., second-year pros Thomas Harper and Trey Taylor, third-year pro Chris Smith II, and undrafted rookie Hudosn Clark.

The three-time All-Pro (two second-team and one first-team) and Pro Bowler adds over 500 tackles, 21.5 sacks, 50 TFLs, four interceptions, 36 passes defended and seven forced fumbles to Las Vegas’ safety room. However, he hasn’t made an All-Star team since 2020 and has battled injuries throughout his career, participating in just 15 games over the last three seasons combined.

Meanwhile, Woods primarily lined up at safety at Baylor and during his NFL career, but was listed as a cornerback in the reporting of his signing. The Raiders could use help at nickelback, a position the former Bear took 535 snaps at in college, per Pro Football Focus. He’s recorded just eight tackles with no interceptions or passes defended in his two professional seasons, but can at least provide a veteran presence to a young position group.

Additionally, the Raiders signed guard Atonio Mafi, per NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. Mafi played for Las Vegas’ offensive coordinator Chip Kelly at UCLA before becoming a fifth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2023. He spent one season in New England before getting cut at the end of training camp last year and landing on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. The former Bruin has participated in 20 career games with five starts and will compete for a roster spot with the Silver and Black this summer.

Adding one more vet to the mix, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports the Raiders also signed wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. Dorsett’s career began as the Indianapolis Colts’ 2015 first-round pick and includes stops with Carroll in Seattle (2020, 2021) and a training camp stint in Las Vegas two years ago.

The wideout spent some time on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad last season but hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since 2023, with the Denver Broncos. He adds speed to the Raiders receiver room and has logged 151 catches for 2,001 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games, but hasn’t recorded a regular-season catch since 2022.

Additionally, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed reported the Raiders signed wide receiver Seth Williams, who was a sixth-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2021. Williams has only appeared in two NFL games, both coming during his rookie season in Denver, and has just one career catch for 34 yards. The Auburn product has also been on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ (2022 and 2023) and Dallas Cowboys’ (2024) practice squads. He played four games (including playoffs) in the UFL with the DC Defenders, logging 11 catches, 170 yards and two touchdowns this spring.

Reed also reported that Las Vegas has waived cornerback Mello Dotson, wide receivers Zakhari Franklin and Key’Shawn Smith, and linebacker Jalin Walker in corresponding moves. The Raiders already had one roster spot open after letting quarterback Carter Bradley go last week.