Tom Telesco was fired alongside Brandon Staley after the LA Chargers suffered a 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on primetime. Shortly thereafter, the Raiders thought it was a good idea to hire the general manager whom they just got fired and who also only had two playoff wins in an entire decade.
Telesco becoming the GM of the Raiders was a hilarious offseason twist that Chargers fans did not see coming. After experiencing all of Telesco's frustrating team-building strategies firsthand, Chargers fans now get to watch Telesco struggle to put together a deep roster in Vegas.
Hiring Telesco also opened the door for an awkward reunion with former Chargers draft bust Jerry Tillery, whom Telesco waived before his rookie contract was up. Waiving Tillery once was not enough, as one of the first moves Telesco made was to waive him a second time, this time with the Raiders.
Luckily for Tillery, he was not the only former Chargers player on the Raiders who got the boot from Telesco in Vegas. Weeks after waiving Tillery, Telesco has officially waived another former draft pick: veteran offensive lineman DJ Fluker.
@Raiders thank you for the opportunity
— DJ Fluker TheWarrior (@DJTheWarrior76) April 5, 2024
DJ Fluker becomes second Chargers draft pick to be waived by Raiders under Tom Telesco
Fluker was Telesco's first-ever draft pick as a general manager as the Chargers selected him with the 11th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Fluker lasted just four seasons with the Chargers and while he was a serviceable offensive lineman, the Bolts opted not to bring him back after his rookie deal. That was the story of Telesco's tenure with the Chargers.
Fluker bounced around from team to team and after not playing in the 2021 or 2022 season, he signed a practice squad deal with the Raiders in 2023. Fluker ultimately signed a futures/reserve contract after the season, hence how he got released by Telesco.
Perhaps Fluker won't be the last former Charger that gets the ax from Telesco in Vegas. Former Chargers cornerback Brandon Facyson is still on the roster and his spot on the team is not locked in stone. It may not happen as quickly, but Facyson very well could be on the outside looking in during training camp.
Regardless, after being released by the Raiders there is a good chance that Fluker's NFL career is over. Tillery at least got another chance, joining the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.