Adams heads to IR, promote DB Nelms, DE Bair from Practice Squad

Phillip Adams suffered a groin injury in last week's loss in Carolina. He joins Richard Seymour who was placed on injured reserve on Thursday with a hamstring injury.

The two practice squad replacements are defensive back Cory Nelms and defensive end Brandon Bair. The two young players will be called up to the Raiders roster for the first time this season and could see game action for the first time in either player's careers.

Bair has been on the Raiders practice squad nearly the entire season as he was placed on the squad September 12th. The former undrafted free agent out of University of Oregon spent all of last season with the Chiefs but was inactive the entire season. He was let go by the Chiefs in the final roster cutdown and the Raiders scooped him up and signed him to their practice squad.

The 6-6, 285 pound Bair started his college career as a tight end before moving to defensive end. He started all 13 games as a senior in 2010, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors after totaling 47 tackles (25 solo) and three sacks.

Nelms was signed to the squad on November 15th. He too was an undrafted free agent last season who was not brought back to his former team. He went undrafted out of University of Miami and was signed by the 49ers and was on the team's practice squad all last season.

The 6-1, 191-pound Nelms was a two-time All-ACC selection in track at Miami, winning the gold medal at the conference championships in the 60-meter indoor hurdles and the 110-meter outdoor hurdles. He made the Miami football team as a walk on, where he played just 24 games with no starts.

Nelms takes the roster spot vacated by Phillip Adams and Bair adds depth on the defensive line with Richard Seymour now on injured reserve. Bair and Nelms join the long list of young Raiders getting a look in this game to see if they will be brought back next season.