NAPA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have signed free agents DB Makinton Dorleant and CB Joshua Holsey, the club announced Tuesday.
Dorleant re-joins the Raiders having spent the offseason program with the team after signing as a reserve/future free agent this past January. Dorleant originally joined the club as a member of the practice squad ahead of the team's regular season finale in 2018. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound defensive back also made stops with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs last season while spending his first two years (2016-17) in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. Over his career, Dorleant has appeared in four contests.
A native of Naples, Fla., Dorleant played three seasons (2013-15) at Northern Iowa, starting 39-of-40 games with the program. As a Panther, he compiled 138 tackles (104 solo), two interceptions, 30 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumbles recoveries.
Holsey, a former seventh-round selection (235th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, joins the Raiders for his third year in the NFL after spending his first two with the Redskins. Over his first two years, Holsey has appeared in 13 games, seeing action primarily on special teams while adding two tackles and one fumble recovery on defense.
A native of Fairburn Ga., the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Holsey appeared in 44 games and made 31 starts during his career (2012-16) at Auburn. With the Tigers, he compiled 118 tackles (96), four interceptions and 19 passes defensed.
In corresponding moves, the Raiders have waived CB Hamp Cheevers and P Johnny Townsend.
Townsend was drafted by the club in the fifth round (173rd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. In his lone season with the team, Townsend appeared in all 16 contests and punted 70 times for 3,022 yards (43.2 avg.) while recording a 38.3 net average and pinning the opponent inside the 20-yard line 17 times.
