Raiders officially sign NaVorro Bowman, playing Thursday vs Chiefs ‘not out of the question’

Monday the Raiders made the addition of NaVorro Bowman official. In a corresponding move, they waived linebacker Tyrell Adams.

Adams had appeared in all six games this season with no starts and 15 combined tackles (8 solo). He spent last season on the team’s practice squad and I would assume the Raiders will attempt to put him back on the practice squad should he clear waivers.

It was Nicholas Morrow who stepped in to start at middle linebacker last week against the Chargers. Morrow has been a great find as an undrafted rookie, but he is out of place as a starting middle linebacker. As is fifth round rookie Marquel Lee for that matter.

So now the Raiders go from almost no professional middle linebacker experience to one of the more accomplished middle linebackers in the league.

“He’s a veteran guy,” said head coach Jack Del Rio Monday. “He’s played a lot of good ball over the years and we’re excited to have him. We’re a little green at the linebacker position, so to add somebody with the experience that he has, we think it’s a nice addition for us. We’ll get him up to speed and see how quickly we can get him there and on the field.”

Del Rio went on to say it was “not out of the question” that Bowman could be ready to play by the Raiders’ Thursday night game against the Chiefs, adding “We’ll see how the week goes, see how he picks things up, how we do, where we are with the other guys, the whole deal. How it all fits together.”

The 6-2, 242-pound 4-time All Pro linebacker is signed through the rest of this season. He spent the first seven years with the 49ers where he started 74 games, totaling 808 tackles (487 solo), 12.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, four interceptions and 28 passes defensed.

Additionally, Bowman has played in eight postseason games, recording 97 tackles (49), 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes defensed.