After taking a few weeks to evaluate all possible options, the Oakland Raiders decided on Wednesday to place defensive end Matt Shaughnessy on injured reserve, wiping out the rest of his 2011-12 season.
Shaughnessy hurt his shoulder in week three against the Jets and hasn’t returned since, and the lack of progress being made prompted the team to take action and try to salvage his football future instead of risking it this year.
Oakland tried out defensive lineman Trevor Pryce for a workout, and considering all the moves on the defensive side of the ball lately it was starting to look like appeared the Raiders were preparing to move on without him anyway. Jarvis Moss has stepped in during his absence and has played well, likely playing a factor in the team’s reasoning for moving Shaughnessy to IR.
Shaughnessy’s was becoming one of the better DE’s in the league, sporting an undying motor, great run defense and ability to get to the passer. As a rookie in 2009, Shaughnessy played in all 16 games, starting two of them and finishing the year with four sacks. He started eight games in 2010, played in all of them, while racking up seven sacks and two forced fumbles. If there is one place on the team the Raiders could possibly afford an injury like this, it would be on the defensive line, but still is a big blow to the team as a whole.