Raiders Make Moves at DT in Wake of Wilkins to IR

The Las Vegas Raiders made a couple of moves at the defensive tackle position on Thursday.

Las Vegas Raiders DT Matthew Butler / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders' defensive took yet another major hit this week when the team placed star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on Injured/Reserve.

To accommodate, the club made a couple of roster moves.

On Thursday, the Raiders announced they have elevated defensive tackle Matthew Butler to the active roster.

Butler is in his third year with the Silver and Black but has been on the practice squad up until Thursday's move. Drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Butler has appeared in eight career games for Las Vegas -- two last year and six in his rookie season.

In that time, Butler has totaled six tackles, a quarterback hit and 0.5 sacks.

The Tennessee product is still just 25 years old with less than 10 NFL games under his belt.

"I feel like, a lot of times, the maturity and the want to and everything is there for a guy who comes in the league and has an opportunity like this," Butler told our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. back in training camp. "Obviously, it's the league, it's a hundred things going on, and you have to learn that balance. You have to balance football with life. It's a true work environment, so you have to establish relationships and trust with the guys around you.

"And you do that by showing up day in and day out and not only being consistent with your play, but your demeanor. Your confidence, once you do that, will be unwavering. And ... once you do that, more people will be willing to play with you and to coach you."

Correspondingly, the Raiders revealed on Thursday that they have signed defensive tackle Zach Carter to the practice squad. Carter was in the same draft class at Butler and was two rounds ahead of him by the Cincinnati Bengals, with whom he spent two-plus seasons.

Carter played four games for Cincinnati this season, making two starts. Last season, he made five starts while playing in all 17 games. In his rookie season, Carter made nine starts in 16 contests.

In his 37 games as a Bengal, Carter recorded 55 tackles, two for losses, 1.0 sacks, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and a quarterback hit.

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