Former BYU Cougars wide receiver Chase Roberts is a free agent after the Las Vegas Raiders waived him with an injury settlement, ending a brief NFL start that never reached the regular season.
The move was revealed via Spotrac.com’s NFL transaction log.
Roberts, the Highland, Utah, product and American Fork High School standout, signed with Las Vegas as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 draft. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver appeared in the first two preseason games before an undisclosed injury.
The Raiders waived him injured when they cut to 53 on Aug. 30. He cleared waivers, reverted to injured reserve, then was released Sept. 4 with a settlement, making him available to any team.
For Cougar fans, the news stings because Roberts was one of the program’s most consistent pass-catchers during BYU’s first years in the Big 12. After a redshirt in 2021 following a mission and hip surgery, he became a fixture.
He caught at least one pass in his final 39 games, served as a two-time team captain, and finished with about 170 receptions, nearly 2,600 yards, and 18 touchdowns—numbers that rank among the better receiving totals in recent BYU history.
His best stretch came late. In 2024 he led the team with 52 catches for 854 yards and four scores. In 2025 he added 54 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns and earned third-team All-Big 12 honors.
He produced in big moments, including a one-handed touchdown against Arkansas that made SportsCenter and a game-winner versus Baylor. His father, Kyle, played defensive back for the Cougars in the early 1990s, adding another layer of BYU lineage.
Roberts never had elite speed—his combine 40 was in the 4.57–4.64 range—but he offered size, route polish, and production as a possession receiver.
Scouts saw a crafty target who could win at the catch point if his hands stayed consistent. Las Vegas, thin at receiver after the draft, gave him a real camp shot. The injury closed that window before he could show whether the college tape would translate.
The settlement is the silver lining. Rather than sitting on IR all year, Roberts can rehab and pursue another roster. For a local kid who stayed home, captained the Cougars through the conference transition, and left as one of the more reliable weapons of the Kalani Sitake era, the next chance is still there.
BYU fans who watched him grind through four productive seasons will be watching to see which team gives the former Cougar another look.
