The Raiders announced Wednesday that they have signed free agent wide receiver Tori Gurley to their practice squad.
An earlier report indicated Gurley had been signed to the 53-man roster.
Gurley was signed just days after starting wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey suffered a concussion and strained neck against Pittsburgh. Heyward-Bey spent Sunday night in a hospital after being knocked unconscious in a helmet-to-helmet collision in the end zone with Steelers safety Ryan Mundy. He was released from the hospital on Monday morning and is expected to make a full recovery, but it’s not known when he will be cleared to practice. Gurley could be promoted to the 53-man roster if the Raiders need to bolster the wide-out position.
The 6-foot-4, 232-pound Gurley was cut by Green Bay on Aug. 31 then was signed to Minnesota’s practice squad but later waived.
Last year, when new Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie worked for Green Bay, Gurley signed with the Packers as an undrafted rookie from South Carolina. Gurley started 13 games for South Carolina in 2010, catching 42 passes for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns. He caught 14 passes for 112 yards against Vanderbilt, tying the school single-game record for receptions.
Gurley is the third player who was in Green Bay during McKenzie’s tenure with the Packers to sign with Oakland – either to the 53-man roster or practice squad – in the past week. Last week the Raiders signed cornerback Brandian Ross off of the Packers practice squad. On Tuesday they signed former Packers linebacker Vic So’oto.
The Raiders, according to Adam Caplan of thesidelineview.com, made another roster move, cutting offensive tackle Joe Barksdale, but the Raiders have not confirmed that report.
Barksdale was expected to battle Khalif Barnes for the starting job at right tackle but struggled during the offseason at in training camp. Barnes easily won the job, and Barksdale was passed on the depth chart by Willie Smith, a Washington Redskins castoff, and rookie Tony Bergstrom, who had been working exclusively at guard until Barnes suffered groin injury in Week 2 against Miami.
Barksdale was inactive for all three games this season. Last year he appeared in all 16 games, primarily on special teams.
Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter: @CBSRaiders.