Raiders bring aboard more rookie talent

The Raiders added six undrafted free agents to their roster Monday.

Guard Mitch Bell (Louisiana Tech), defensive end Gary Wilkins (Furman), wide receiver Austin Willis (Emporia State), running back Michael Dyer (Louisville) and cornerbacks SaQwan Edwards (New Mexico) and Travell Dixon (University of Washington) agreed to contract terms and will battle through summer for a spot on the final roster.

The Raiders added 14 undrafted rookie free agents last week, making it 20 in all, plenty of youth to duke it out over training camp.

Running backs Terrance Cobb and Gus Johnson were released to make room on the roster, along with linebacker Braylon Mitchell and defensive backs Vernon Kearney and Chance Casey.

Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon was also waived, with an injured designation.

Oakland has rostered 90 players since the draft, and have one of the youngest rosters in the league this year after being the oldest in 2014.

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski and safety Charles Woodson keep the Raiders from being the youngest, but this year, the youth appears to be established and of greater talent that years prior.

The Raiders look like a totally different team this year, compared to last, and have some areas of depth they haven’t had in years.

But they have youth, too, and are doing what they can to harvest as much young talent as possible. All the draftees, along with others, have made clear four particular areas where the Raiders are looking to improve.

Over the last two weeks, the Raiders have added four rookie corners, four rookie defensive linemen, four rookie offensive linemen, and four rookie linebackers.

Now all they have to do is put together more than four wins.

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Jason Leskiw is SFBay’s Oakland Raiders beat writer and member of the Professional Football Writers of America. Follow @SFBay and @LeskiwSFBay on Twitter and at SFBay.ca for full coverage of the Oakland Raiders.