The Las Vegas Raiders were one of the healthiest teams in the league heading into Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, but that sentiment has quickly shifted. A series of notable injuries and roster moves has left the roster in tatters amid the team's four-game losing streak.
Brock Bowers has been dealing with an injury since Week 1, Michael Mayer and Jackson Powers-Johnson have been banged up, and then, before Week 5, Kolton Miller was placed on the Injured Reserve and Eric Stokes was ruled out with a knee injury.
To make matters worse, during the game, star punter A.J. Cole got hurt on a blocked punt during the second quarter. He would return as a field goal holder, but he did not punt for the remainder of the contest.
Raiders sign Brad Robbins as A.J. Cole insurance ahead of Titans game
When speaking with the media on Monday afternoon, head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the nature of Cole's injury.
"Yeah, he's got a low ankle sprain," Carroll said. "He's going to try to kick on Friday and see how he does. He's tough about it, and and we'll see what happens."
Obviously, if Cole cannot go, the Raiders would need another option at punter. One reporter asked a follow up question, and Carroll said that the team was assessing their options.
"We're talking about other guys, yeah," Carroll confirmed. "We got to we got to cover ourselves on this."
Well, the Raiders did exactly that on Tuesday afternoon when they announced the signing of former Cinncinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills punter Brad Robbins to the practice squad. If Cole cannot play on Sunday, then Robbins will be activated from the practice squad to the active roster.
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Robbins was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Bengals, and he had a seemingly average rookie year. His 44.3 yards per punt average is far below Cole's 50.0 or more in four of the last five seasons, but Robbins at least has a whole season of starting experience under his belt.
A quadricep injury caused him to miss the entire 2024 NFL season and prompted his release from the Bengals, but he landed with the Bills the following offseason. After one game in 2025, in which he punted four times for an average of 39.5 yards, he was released by Buffalo.
He hasn't been on an NFL roster since that Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens, but the former Michigan product now has new life in Las Vegas. He won't replicate Cole's production, and he'll need to get a rapport quickly with Daniel Carlson and Jacob Bobenmoyer on field goals.
But if Cole can't go, Robbins will be fine enough insurance until the $16.5 million man returns.