Among those released the most notable is, perhaps, safety Josh Bullocks who was brought in just last week.  He joins receivers Damola Adeniji and Steve Goulet who went the way of fullback Bryson Kelly, offensive linemen Ben Lamaak and Lou Eliades plus defensive tackle Derrick Hill.

Also of note is that the Raiders officially ended the season of Travis Goethel who was placed on IR after suffering a knee injury last week. Goethel’s loss could prove costly as the second year linebacker was expected to provide depth with his versatility and possibly compete for a starting role as well.

Both Matt Girodano and Josh Bullocks are the newest members of the Silver and Black.

Giordano is a Central Valley native born in Fresno and attended high school in Clovis. He spent his college days at Fresno City before transferring to Cal Berkley. Giordano began his pro career as a 4^th round pick by the Indianapolis Colts where he won a Super Bowl in ’06. Since his departure from Indy in 2008, Girodano has bounced from the Packers to the Saints with a brief stop in Atlanta between.

Bullocks was originally a second round pick by the Saints back in ’05. During his four years in the Big Easy Bullocks started 49 games and registered all 6 of his career interceptions. Before becoming a Raider, Josh was in Chicago for two years. He has a twin brother that used to play safety in Detroit.

Both men will have a definite shot at making the 53-man. Eugene served as a backup and occasional starter on defense but was a gunner on special teams. Among the most thankless jobs in pro football, gunners are vitally important in the battle for field position. After all, a weapon like Shane Lechler is only as valuable as his coverage team.