Raiders continue copy-cat trend, instantly poach inconsequential LB from Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders' constant desire to bring in former members of the LA Chargers hasn't just become a trend, it has become a bit of a joke for Chargers fans. Whether it be players, coaches, or even front-office executives, there is something about being a former Charger that entices Mark Davis and the Raiders.

This running joke only grew stronger this past offseason when the Raiders hired former Chargers general manager Tom Telesco to run the football operations in Vegas. Ironically enough, it was the Raiders beating the Chargers 63-21 that previous December that got Telesco (and then-head coach Brandon Staley) fired in the first place.

Telesco has made the same mistakes he made with the Chargers in Las Vegas and he also has kept up the trend of bringing in former members of the Bolts. The most recent example of this inter-division poaching might be the strangest yet the most unique, as Telesco wasted absolutely no time poaching a practice squad-caliber player from the Chargers.

The Raiders announced on Wednesday that the team signed linebacker Blake Lynch to the practice squad. It wasn't like Lynch was sitting around waiting to be signed, as he was just waived by the Chargers the day before to make room for tight end McCallan Castles.

Tom Telesco, Raiders waste no time in poaching Blake Lynch from the Chargers

Lynch wasn't just a practice squad player as he has played snaps for the Chargers, most recently doing so this season. The veteran linebacker actually played this season for the Bolts, logging 20 special teams snaps in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The former Minnesota Viking played in seven total games for the Chargers in 2023, four of which came while Telesco was still the team's general manager. He never played a defensive snap for the Chargers, though, as all his snaps were limited to special teams.

Los Angeles had no use for Lynch with Nick Niemann returning from injury so it made sense that he was the one who was cut from the practice squad. The strange part of this entire ordeal is how quickly the Raiders operated as if they just landed some marquee tight end.

Lynch is obviously someone who Telesco likes and wants to get in the building as quickly as possible. If he did not have those feelings he would not have signed him literally a day after he was let go by the Chargers.

In the grand scheme of things, Lynch is not going to have a big impact on the Raiders and the Chargers are going to have no regrets waiving him and allowing the Raiders to sign him. But is still another example of the Raiders poaching any and all talent, big or small, that once donned the powder blue.

At least when it came to the likes of Casey Hayward and Denzel Perryman there was legitimate talent there to help the Raiders. The swiftness of this Lynch signing is hard to explain.