Oakland Raiders: Breaking down each member of the 10-man practice squad
By Justin Fried
5. Damarea Crockett, RB
One of three newcomers to the practice squad, running back Damarea Crockett went undrafted in this year’s NFL Draft and was subsequently signed by the Houston Texans. Crockett would spend the preseason with the Texans before being waived as a part of final roster cuts.
In three seasons at Missouri, Crockett rushed for a healthy 5.9 yards per carry and 19 touchdowns while dealing with his share of injuries. At 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds, the 21-year-old is a bigger back who has been praised for his impressive blend of speed and power.
In fact, Crockett ran a blazing 4.40 40-yard dash at his pro day which is incredibly quick for a running back of his size.
With just three tailbacks on the active roster, Crockett could be the next-in-line if one of them were to go down with an injury at some point.
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6. Justin Phillips, LB
The Raiders may be incredibly thin at linebacker on their active roster, but they do have at least one extra piece of depth sitting on their practice squad. Like Crockett, Justin Phillips is a newcomer to the organization having spent the summer with the Dallas Cowboys.
Before his tenure in Dallas, Phillips spent five years at Oklahoma State establishing himself as a team leader, captain, and MVP. Phillips was an All-Big-12 selection during his senior year in which he totaled 98 tackles — 11 for a loss — and two sacks.
Oakland could still look to add some depth to their linebacker core with the likes of Vontaze Burfict, Tahir Whitehead, Nicholas Morrow, and Marquel Lee being the only four linebackers on the active roster.
Some might be surprised not to see fellow undrafted rookie Te’von Coney in this spot, but the Raiders were clearly more impressed with Phillips’ ability to cover and be a three-down contributor than Coney’s.