Former Missouri standout Tyree Gillespie was recently traded to the Tennessee Titans by the new Las Vegas Raiders’ brain trust. Unfortunately, Tennessee has already moved on from the defensive back following his release less than 24 hours ago. With NFL cuts underway, will the former Mizzou Tiger find another home?
Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler had originally traded Gillespie to the Titans for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. However, given that Gillespie did not crack the roster in Tennessee, the Raiders will not be receiving that draft choice. Essentially, Gillespie is another player in a long line of busts that precedes Ziegler and new head coach Josh McDaniels. With Lynn Bowden Jr. being released by the Miami Dolphins today, the argument continues to grow that Jon Gruden was a terrible talent evaluator. In fact, many will point all the way back to his tenure with Tampa Bay for further proof. Chosen in the fourth round last year, Gillespie started zero games while appearing in 11.
NFL Cuts: It’s Been A Rough 2022 For Tyree Gillespie
A new coaching staff meant a clean slate. Last year, Gillespie had some moments that flashed a sample size of potential. Nevertheless, he would have to prove himself to McDaniels and Co., and in the end, he failed to live up to expectations. Duron Harmon and Roderic Teamer, who stood out during training camp, turned out to be the Raiders’ backup safeties in the long run.
Watching Missouri Safety Tyree Gillespie tonight… Sheesh! pic.twitter.com/X9x78inKFK
— Joey Richards (@JRDrafts) January 9, 2021
In Gillespie’s defense, it’s likely he’s very much the absolute beast fans witnessed in Missouri, but he simply wasn’t a scheme fit. He could still land on a practice squad and play his way back onto a roster this year. It could also be another case of the previous Raiders’ administration foolishly overreaching on certain picks. It’s still early today, August 30th, so we can expect more headline-making NFL cuts to come across the news wire.
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*Top Photo: AP Photo/John Raoux