Raiders sign back the WR they cut, waive the TE they activated yesterday

Yesterday, the Las Vegas Raiders made a peculiar move by activating TE Carter Runyon from injured reserve, while simultaneously waiving WR Cody White. It was anticipated that White would join the practice squad if he cleared waivers, given the Raiders' likely interest in retaining his services. However, White had returned to the active roster.

Similarly, Runyon's activation led to his waiver, as the Raiders sought to keep both players on the roster. A plausible explanation exists for this puzzling sequence of events. The Raiders needed both players to be available right away. With Runyon on IR, they had to activate him, or else he would remain on IR for the rest of the season, potentially until three weeks later before he could rejoin or join another team.

Waiving him with an injury settlement would have kept him out for at least three more weeks. By waiving White, the Raiders could bring back Cody White, who can be placed on the practice squad immediately, and if Runyon clears waivers, he can subsequently join the practice squad as well. This strategic maneuver appears to be a smart and efficient solution for the Raiders.