When the Raiders released defensive end Josh Mauro this past weekend, in getting down to 53 players, it was a surprise.
Mauro, a stout run defender, had been listed as a starter.
But Mauro wasn’t gone for long. On Monday, the team made several roster moves, including re-signing Mauro, who is expected to start on Monday night, Sept. 9, in the regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos.
The plan all summer was for Mauro to be the defensive end in the base defense to shore up Oakland’s efforts against the run.
Mauro, entering his sixth NFL season, has started for the Cardinals and New York Giants since entering the league out of Stanford in 2014. Arden Key will likely replace him in passing situations to boost the rush.
General manager Mike Mayock told the media Saturday, after the Raiders had reached the 53-man roster limit, that additional moves in the next few days were expected, so the roster was still in flux for the season opener.
Mauro was cut on Sunday to make room for former Packers and Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer.
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On Monday, the Raiders re-signed Mauro and linebacker Kyle Wilber. They filled roster spots that had been held by quarterback Nathan Peterman and cornerback Isaiah Johnson, who were placed on the reserve/injured list.
The Raiders will take on the Broncos Monday night, with kickoff set for 7:20 p.m.
