The Raiders reverted Cole to the practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Cole was elevated for the first time in 2023, but he was a healthy scratch for the Raiders' regular-season finale. He hasn't played since 2022, when he appeared in 14 games for Las Vegas and accumulated 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown while adding 79 punt return yards.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Elevated to active roster
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The Raiders elevated Cole to the active roster Saturday.
Cole joined the Raiders' practice squad Sept. 5 after failing to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. This is the first time he's been elevated to the active roster this season. Cole played 14 games for the Raiders last season and accumulated 10 catches on 21 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown.
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Keelan Cole: Joins Raiders' practice squad
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Las Vegas signed Cole to its practice squad Tuesday.
A week after being released by the same team, Cole has already found his way back into the fold. Cole appeared in 14 games with the Raiders in 2022, grabbing 10 catches for 141 yards, but barring injury, it doesn't seem likely he'll be elevated to the active roster any time soon.
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Keelan Cole: Released by Las Vegas
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The Raiders released Cole on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Cole re-signed with the Raiders this offseason despite posting career-worst numbers (10-141-1) last year. The Raiders released Cole and Phillip Dorsett ahead of the initial 53-man roster deadline Tuesday, but Rapoport notes Las Vegas may sign the veteran wideouts to practice-squad deals before Week 1.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Career-low 10 receptions with LV
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Cole caught one of two targets for five yards in the Raiders' regular-season finale, finishing his 2022 campaign with 10 receptions for 141 yards and one touchdown on 21 targets in 14 games.
Cole reverted to a bench role late in the season upon fellow slot man Hunter Renfrow's return from injured reserve, and the former caught just four total passes for 44 yards across Weeks 10-14 despite logging at least 29 offensive snaps in each contest during that stretch. Cole will turn 30 years old this offseason as he hits free agency, so there's certainly no guarantee that he'll be back with the Raiders in 2023.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Hauls in clutch touchdown
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Cole caught both his targets for 50 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-24 win over the Patriots.
New England focused on shutting down Davante Adams and succeeded, holding him to four catches for 28 yards, but Derek Carr turned to other options instead and made Cole a surprise hero when the duo connected on a game-tying 30-yard TD -- Cole's first score of the season -- with only 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter. It's only the third time all season Cole has caught more than one pass in a game, and he has yet to haul in more than two. With Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller both returning from injured reserve this week, the veteran wideout's role in the offense doesn't figure to grow.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Likely to lose out on regular snaps
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Cole is expected to move out of a regular role in three-receiver sets Sunday against the Patriots after the Raiders reinstated Hunter Renfrow (oblique) from injured reserve Saturday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Assuming he's not facing any significant snap-count restriction Sunday in his return from a five-game absence, Renfrow should operate as the Raiders' primary slot man, while Davante Adams and Mack Hollins serve as Las Vegas' main options out wide. During Renfrow's absence, Cole didn't make much of a mark in the box score; despite playing at least 50 percent of the snaps on offense in each of the past five games, he averaged just 1.4 targets per contest.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Catchless versus Chargers
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Cole was not targeted in Sunday's 27-20 win over the Chargers.
Cole failed to make an impact Sunday despite playing more than half of the Raiders' 61 offensive snaps. In the full-time slot role, he's caught just three passes for 33 yards on six targets in four games since Hunter Renfrow's (oblique) placement on injured reserve. Renfrow is eligible to return from IR on Thursday against the Rams, but his availability is uncertain with it being a short week.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Makes one grab in victory
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Cole caught one of two targets for 21 yards in Sunday's 22-16 overtime win over the Broncos. He also returned four punts for 28 yards.
Despite playing more than 40 offensive snaps again this week, Cole was held without a catch until the Raiders' final drive in regulation. Meanwhile, fellow receivers Davante Adams and Mack Hollins combined for 13 receptions on 22 targets for 193 yards and two scores. Expect Cole to continue occupying the slot against the Seahawks in Week 12.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Zero catches despite 48 snaps
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Cole was held without a catch on two targets in Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Colts.
Cole was limited by a minor knee injury before returning to full participation in practice this past Thursday, but he managed to play north of 40 offensive snaps Sunday for the first time since Week 4, occupying the slot with Hunter Renfrow (oblique) on injured reserve. Cole's additional playing time didn't translate to production, however, while Davante Adams and Mack Hollins combined to see 20 targets from quarterback Derek Carr. Cole likely retains a similar role again Week 11 in Denver, but he's still low on the pecking order in the Raiders' aerial attack.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Returns to full practice
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Cole (knee) practiced fully Thursday, Rachel Gossen of the Raiders' official site reports.
Cole was limited Wednesday, but his return to a full session Thursday puts him in line to suit up Sunday against the Colts. With both TE Darren Waller (hamstring) and WR Hunter Renfrow (hamstring/ribs) having landed on IR, there's now added snaps and targets available in the Raiders' passing game. With that in mind, Cole could see added opportunities in the coming weeks, though he'll have to compete with Mack Hollins and DJ Turner for the wide receiver looks that don't go in the direction of top option Davante Adams.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Limited in practice Wednesday
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Cole is suffering from a knee injury and was limited at practice Wednesday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Cole presumably suffered the injury in Sunday's loss to Jacksonville, when he logged nine offensive snaps but didn't see any targets or touches. The veteran wideout has played in five games this season but has tallied only three catches for 42 yards. The limited practice session Wednesday gives Cole a fair chance of playing this Sunday versus Indianapolis, but he's not expected to be a significant factor if he does take the field.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Late end-zone drop Sunday
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Cole caught one pass for 12 yards on four targets in Sunday's 24-22 loss to the Titans. He also returned one punt for 13 yards.
Cole played 40 of 70 offensive snaps as he filled the slot role with Hunter Renfrow (concussion) sidelined, but the former hauled in only one of his four targets and he dropped a would-be touchdown in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Cole's playing time figures to decrease significantly upon Renfrow's eventual return, which could come Week 4 against the Broncos.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Signed to active roster
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The Raiders signed Cole to their active roster Wednesday.
Cole landed a practice-squad deal with Las Vegas after being released by the Raiders ahead of the 53-man roster deadline, but he now finds himself on the active roster after the team placed DJ Turner (ankle) on IR. Cole, an undrafted wideout out of Kentucky Wesleyan, has eclipsed 350 receiving yards in each of his first five NFL seasons, but it'll be difficult for him to garner many targets behind Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller.
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Keelan Cole: Signs practice-squad deal
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The Raiders signed Cole to their practice squad Tuesday.
Cole was released by the Raiders ahead of the 53-man roster deadline but will return to the organization on a practice-squad deal. The undrafted wideout has eclipsed 350 receiving yards in each of his first five seasons in the NFL, so he'll be a likely candidate for elevation on a weekly basis, though it'll be difficult to garner many targets behind Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller.
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Keelan Cole: Released by Vegas
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The Raiders released Cole on Tuesday, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.
Fellow veterans Mack Hollins and Tyron Johnson seem to have beat out Cole for depth WR spots on the team's initial 53-man roster. Their preseason usage suggests Hollins could be the No. 3 receiver to start the year, but it isn't a role that figures to involve many targets given that Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller (hamstring) all need to be fed. Cole is 29, but he could find work elsewhere given that he's eclipsed 350 receiving yards five times in five seasons since entering the NFL in 2017.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Praised by QB
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Cole's balance and route running have impressed Raiders quarterback Derek Carr early in training camp, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.
"His ability on the sideline, he's really good," Carr said of Cole. "There is never a doubt if he's in or he's out." Carr also praised Cole's route running, describing Cole's routes as "really crisp." Cole has racked up at least 449 yards in four of his five NFL seasons, and he's making a strong early push for the No. 3 wide receiver role in Vegas behind fellow newcomer Davante Adams and holdover Hunter Renfrow.
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Raiders' Keelan Cole: Joining Las Vegas
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Cole agreed to a one-year contract with the Raiders on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The 29-year-old was with the Jets on a one-year deal in 2021 and caught 34 of 51 targets for 449 yards and one touchdown in 15 games. He'll battle Bryan Edwards and Demarcus Robinson for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow.
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Jets' Keelan Cole: Finds end zone in loss
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Cole caught all three of his targets for 54 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Bills.
His 40-yard TD catch in the second quarter was the only real highlight on the day for the Jets, and Cole wound up being the only New York player with more than one reception. It was the 28-year-old's first touchdown of the season, and he wraps up the campaign with 28 catches on 51 targets for 449 yards, numbers that likely won't attract more than mild interest on the free-agent market this offseason.
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Jets' Keelan Cole: Another quiet outing
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Cole caught both of his targets for 25 yards in Sunday's 26-21 win over Jacksonville.
Cole occupied a starting role on the outside but didn't make much of an impact in the revenge game against his former team, as the Jets ran for 273 yards and passed for only 100 in the win. With only four catches in his last three games, Cole has failed to take advantage of his hefty recent snap share, and that's unlikely to change in Week 17 against Tampa Bay.
