ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders released veteran wide receiver Travis Taylor on Saturday, ending a brief relationship with the former first-round draft pick.
Taylor, who signed with the Raiders on May 22 after spending two seasons in Minnesota, played in just one game for Oakland this season and did not have a catch. He was inactive for the team's season-opening loss to Detroit.
Taylor had 57 catches for 651 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Vikings before signing with the Raiders. A former first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, Taylor has 311 career receptions for 4,013 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Although his career numbers are better than any receiver currently on the Raiders' roster, Taylor struggled to find playing time and was buried on the depth chart behind Jerry Porter, Ronald Curry and Mike Williams.
With the open roster spot, Oakland promoted linebacker Jon Alston from its practice squad. The Raiders needed depth at the position because Robert Thomas has been slowed with a hamstring injury this week and Ike Ekejiuba is out with a cracked bone in his right ankle.
Alston spent 2006 with St. Louis but played sparingly. He had a strong preseason but was let go by the Rams before the start of the regular season.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
