A week after being released by the Panthers, pass-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson is getting his third opportunity in the NFL. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, Chaisson will be joining Las Vegas' practice squad.
Chaisson, a former first-round pick out of LSU, struggled over the course of his rookie contract in Jacksonville. The Jaguars gave their 20th overall pick only three starts in his rookie season. A season later, Chaisson started eight games, without providing much more value to the defense. After missing eight games due to injury in 2022, Chaisson returned in 2023 playing a career-low numbers of snaps, but he finally did deliver a multi-sack season.
After seeing his fifth-year option declined, Chaisson became a free agent and signed with the Panthers. Two other free-agent additions, Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum, ended up making the team’s initial 53-man roster alongside Chaisson, but a week later, only Clowney and Wonnum remained.
Now, Chaisson will head to Vegas where the Raiders are dealing with a litany of injuries to their pass-rushing group. The day before their season opener, the Raiders placed defensive end Malcolm Koonce on injured reserve with a knee injury. On Monday, it was reported that last year’s first-round pick, Tyree Wilson, suffered a knee sprain, and Las Vegas was looking for help on the edge, as a result.
That help comes in the form of Chaisson. If called up from the practice squad, Chaisson would provide reinforcement for Maxx Crosby, Janarius Robinson, Wilson and Charles Snowden. It still leaves the position room a bit thin, but it gives the team bodies on the edge.
In addition to Chaisson, the Raiders added cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly to their practice squad as well. A fifth-round pick for the Ravens last year, Kelly failed to make Baltimore’s 53-man roster and spent parts of his rookie season in Seattle, Green Bay and Washington. He now joins his fifth team in 13 months.
