The Las Vegas Raiders’ promising 14-0 lead on Sunday quickly turned sour as the Kansas City Chiefs mounted a comeback, outscoring them 31-3 for the rest of the game. This setback also put a damper on the momentum Antonio Pierce was building toward becoming the team’s full-time coach.
Confirming the decision, interim coach Antonio Pierce announced on Monday that the Raiders had released cornerback Marcus Peters. The move came a day after Peters was benched in the game against the Chiefs. Pierce shared, “We decided to move forward. Had a great conversation with (Peters) this morning. I will leave it at that.”
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: #Raiders released veteran CB Marcus Peters, per @VicTafurhttps://t.co/NZbE9apatl pic.twitter.com/OzavJTg5R2
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 27, 2023
Interestingly, Peters had narrowly avoided being cut earlier in the season, as per team and league sources. The decision to release him now will save the team $1.5 million in incentives that Peters was set to earn. Despite being a three-time Pro Bowler, Peter’s performance this season fell short, with only five passes defended and 43 total tackles.
In addition to parting ways with Peters, the Raiders also waived safety Roderic Teamer on Monday following his arrest on DUI and speeding charges over the weekend. Despite being poised for a return from injured reserve, Teamer was inactive against the Chiefs in response to his arrest.
The Raiders, now with a 5-7 record, head into the bye week after the disappointing 31-17 loss to the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Antonio Pierce, with a 2-2 record as interim coach, faces the challenge of navigating the team through adversity, especially considering the unraveling in the last 2 1/2 quarters of the game.
Peters, 30, was signed to a one-year, $3 million contract to be a leader in the secondary. While he did manage to secure an interception return for a touchdown in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions, his overall performance fell short of expectations. Issues with tackling, including a notable miss in the second quarter against the Chiefs, raised questions about his effort on the field.
