Demarcus Robinson among first roster cuts for Raiders

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was among the first round of roster cuts for the Las Vegas Raiders.

There were literally scores of players who were released by their respective teams in the National Football League on Tuesday as the initial deadline for rosters to be pared down came and went, which required every franchise to get down to 85 players. For the Las Vegas Raiders, it meant deciding against keeping wide receiver Demarcus Robinson any longer.

The Raiders set Robinson free early on Monday in a bit of a surprise to see the former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver back on the open market. That’s not to say that Robinson was expected to be a particularly heavy lifter for the Raiders’ offense in ’22. They already have plenty of other high-profile pass catchers in tight end Darren Waller, blockbuster free agent signing Davante Adams, and the ever-reliable wideout Hunter Renfrow.

Robinson spent his first six years in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Interestingly enough, the Chiefs went back-to-back with wide receiver picks in that draft class—under then general manager John Dorsey—with Tyreek Hill as the next round’s selection out of West Alabama.

Robinson was never a primary target for the Chiefs in either the Alex Smith or Patrick Mahomes era, but he was a dependable depth piece who carved out a minor role for a very successful franchise. He had 145 catches for 1,679 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in his six seasons in K.C.

The early release from the Raiders now allows Robinson a few more weeks of the NFL preseason to try to latch on with another team in hopes of extending his career to seven official seasons.