Raiders place starting CB Anthony Averett on injured reserve

The Raiders claimed Guidry off waivers Monday, but the addition comes after the team lost one of its starters to injury. Las Vegas placed cornerback Anthony Averett on IR. This transaction knocks Averett out for at least four games.

Averett suffered a broken right thumb against the Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The IR timetable lines up with Averett’s expected recovery timeline, with the former Ravens defender expected to be ready to return in around a month.

The Raiders have been impressed with Averett, to the point they felt comfortable unloading Mullen — a former second-round pick and three-season starter for the team — before setting their roster. The Raiders were planning to waive Mullen had the Cardinals not stepped in with a trade proposal. Averett entered the season alongside Rock Ya-Sin and Nate Hobbs as the Raiders’ top corners. The Raiders have Amik Robertson as a backup option, but the team signed veteran slot defender Nickell Robey-Coleman on Monday as well.

A 14-game Ravens starter last season — one that saw Baltimore go the full campaign without Marcus Peters — Averett signed a one-year deal worth $4M in March. The Raiders are guaranteeing the former fourth-round Ravens draftee $3.34M. He played 34 defensive snaps Sunday, prior to going down with the thumb ailment.

This Raiders move denied the Cardinals a chance to pass Guidry through to their practice squad. A former sprinter who finished sixth in the 60-meter dash at the 2019 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Guidry spent two seasons with the Jets. Guidry played 486 defensive snaps last season, spending time both outside and in the slot with the Jets. A Utah alum, Guidry is credited with forcing an four fumbles as a rookie in 2020.