The Las Vegas Raiders moved on from defensive tackle Jonah Laulu on Tuesday, clearing a roster spot that allowed them to activate wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. from injured reserve.
The transaction, first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz and later confirmed by the team, ends the local product’s run with his hometown franchise after two-plus seasons.
Laulu, a Centennial High School graduate drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, never stuck in Indianapolis.
The Colts waived him after training camp, and the Raiders claimed him off waivers. He immediately found a role in Las Vegas, appearing in all 17 games as a rookie and then starting 15 of 17 contests in 2025.
That year he recorded four sacks and 51 tackles while logging nearly 68 percent of the defensive snaps.
Under new head coach Klint Kubiak in 2026, however, his opportunities shrank sharply.
He played in only five games, finished with five tackles and half a sack, and saw his snap share drop to roughly 23 to 32 percent. He was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s 35-21 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The corresponding roster move brought Thornton back to the active list.
The second-year receiver, selected in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp and had not played this season.
As a rookie he caught 10 passes for 135 yards. His return gives the Raiders another option in a receiving group that has included Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Malik Benson, Cody White, and Dareke Young.
Las Vegas also released wide receiver Jamari Thrash from the practice squad.
With Laulu gone, the defensive tackle room now features Tonka Hemingway, Adam Butler, Folorunso Fatukasi, Thomas Booker, and second-year sixth-round pick J.J. Pegues.
Pegues, who has spent stretches of the season inactive, is expected to see an increased share of the interior snaps.
The move arrives amid a four-game losing streak for a Raiders team that entered the week at 3-4.
For a player who had been a regular contributor only a year ago, the release underscores how quickly the depth chart can shift under a new coaching staff when production and availability do not align.
Laulu remains eligible to rejoin the practice squad if he clears waivers, though the team has given no indication of that intention.
