Raiders sign safety Taylor Mays, trade Brice Butler to Cowboys

ALAMEDA, Calif. The Raiders have signed journeyman safety Taylor Mays in the wake of losing starting free safety Nate Allen to a knee injury, and also re-added defensive lineman C.J. Wilson.

Mays was with Oakland very briefly in the preseason, playing in just one game before being let go as part of a round of cuts. He’ll likely get considerable playing time considering the loss of Allen, who was placed on the reserve/injured designated for return list, as well as the uncertain status of veteran Charles Woodson, who suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s 33-13 loss to the Cincinnati.

Raiders coach Jack Del Rio indicated Monday there is a chance Allen could play again at some point later in the year. It remains to seen how long Woodson will be out.

Mays, in his sixth season, spent parts of this past offseason with Minnesota and Detroit after beginning his career with the 49ers (2010) and Cincinnati (2011-14).

Wilson also rejoins the Raiders after spending last year with the team. Wilson played in all 16 games for Oakland in 2014 and started seven games. He took part in training camp this summer but was among the final cuts the Raiders made entering the regular season.

Tight end Gabe Holmes was waived to make room for Wilson.

The Raiders also traded wide receiver Brice Butler to the Dallas Cowboys for a conditional draft pick in 2015. If Butler remains on the Dallas roster for six games and he should, with Dez Bryant out for at least that long the Raiders will get the Cowboys’ fifth round pick next year and Dallas will get Oakland’s sixth-round choice.

Butler was originally a seventh-round choice of the Raiders in 2013. He had nine catches for 107 yards in 10 games that season, but didn’t have a catch after Week 6 of his rookie season.

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