In last Thursday’s game versus the Arizona Cardinals, the Raiders lost Hiram Eugene for the season to a dislocated hip. With his being placed on injured reserve, a roster spot is left open to sign a free agent. The Raiders did one better and signed two.
Two safeties: Josh Bullocks and Matt Giordano.
Bullocks is a six year veteran who most recently played for the Bears where he spent his last two seasons. In that time he started just four games with a total of 34 tackles. He spent the first four seasons of his career in New Orleans after the Saints drafted him in the second round out of Nebraska. He averaged 64 tackles per season for the Saints and totaled six interceptions and 24 passes defended.
Giordano is a former Cal Bear whom the Colts drafted in the fourth round of the same 2005 draft as Bullocks. He too played the first four seasons of his career with the team who drafted him before being signed away as an unrestricted free agent. He spent the past two seasons with the Packers and Saints.
Giordano’s numbers pale in comparison to Bullocks’. Giordano had just 80 tackles over his first four seasons, seven passes defended and three interceptions. But he has the speed that the Raiders covet.
Both Bullocks’ and Giordano’s best chance to make this team is through special teams. They are here to replace Hiram Eugene, and Eugene’s greatest contributions came as a gunner on special teams. If either of them can do that, they could make this team. If not, they are just camp bodies.
To make room for the additional safety, the team waived rookie undrafted free agent offensive tackle Cody Habben.
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