The Oakland Raiders promoted guard Denver Kirkland from their practice squad on Tuesday.
Kirkland and wide receiver Marcell Ateman fill the roster spots opened up by the trade of wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys and the placement of running back Marshawn Lynch on injured reserve.
Kirkland appeared in six games with four starts for the Raiders in 2016 after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Arkansas. He didn’t make the team’s initial 53-man roster as a rookie but was promoted from the practice squad in September.
Kirkland missed all of last season while on injured reserve and would up on the practice squad again after roster cuts at the end of the preseason.