As the Las Vegas Raiders continue to blaze through phases of the offseason, the roster is beginning to take shape more and more. But Raider Nation knows that this team is a constant work in progress and that John Spytek will be tinkering with the final few spots even throughout the regular season.
In the midst of rookie minicamp, the Silver and Black already made a slew of roster moves, which included the surprising release of defensive end Charles Snowden. But now that the three-day practice session is over, Las Vegas is tweaking its 91-man team once again.
On Monday morning, The Athletic's Sam Warren reported that the Raiders were signing wide receiver Jonathan Brady to their active roster. The minicamp invitee apparently impressed the staff enough to earn him a spot, as Las Vegas later confirmed the move itself.
Las Vegas Raiders sign two-time college Fernando Mendoza teammate Jonathan Brady
The corresponding move to signing Brady was wide receiver and special teamer Justin Shorter, who has hung around on the end of the roster and on the practice squad for a few years now, being placed on the injured/reserve list.
Brady not only went to high school at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, which is just a half-hour from Raiders HQ, but he also played with No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza at both California - Berkeley and Indiana. This will now be the third separate time that Brady and Mendoza have shared a locker room.
Las Vegas wasn't able to come away from the 2026 NFL Draft with wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. or Elijah Sarratt, nor running back Kaelon Black or center Pat Coogan. But the Raiders did still nab a pair of former Hoosiers in wideout E.J. Williams and running back Roman Hemby. Brady is now the third.
When asked on Saturday after a rookie minicamp practice about the chance to play with Hemby and Williams again, Mendoza went out of his way to tell reporters that Brady was there as well, and that it is good to have players there that he has a rapport with. It seems like Brady will be sticking around.
After two years at New Mexico State, Brady transferred to Cal and struck up a solid connection with Mendoza. Brady caught 36 passes for 386 yards and 3 touchdowns as a junior before racking up 14 catches for 115 yards and 3 more scores as a senior at Indiana.
At just 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds, Brady will have his work cut out for him. He has experience playing both inside and outside, but Brady will likely be a slot player in the NFL. Brady was also a good kick returner for the Aggies and did most of his work as a Hoosier on special teams as well.
He totaled 440 punt return yards, 317 kick return yards and a punt return for a touchdown. Brady still has an uphill battle to make the roster and hang around all offseason, but he was clearly the next man up after Shorter went down with an injury. And Mendoza loves him some Brady (pun intended).
mendoza loves brady
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