Raiders sign Theo Riddick, Kyle Emanuel

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed running back Theo Riddick and linebacker Kyle Emanuel. The team released running back William Stanback and linebacker Bryce Hager to make room for those two.

Riddick defied the odds to play six seasons with the Detroit Lions after being a sixth round pick in 2013. Few running backs manage to last that long with one team, especially when they aren’t productive as runners. Riddick’s career-high was 92 carries for 357 yards and 3.9 yards per carry with Detroit in 2016. He did catch 80 passes for 697 yards the year before. Riddick didn’t play in the NFL last season. Riddick is 29.

Emanuel also didn’t play in 2019. He spent his first four seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, getting selected in the fifth round in 2015 out of North Dakota State. Emmanuel started 29 games from 2016-2018 but never rose up to the level of getting consistent reps. His snap count went from playing in 51-percent in 2015 to 29-percent in 2016 and then 21-percent in 2018.

The Raiders may not keep either into Week 1 but they clearly felt they had room to explore other options.