The Oakland Raiders have released second-year punter Johnny Townsend, after a disappointing rookie campaign that resulted in a 43.5 yard season average. Going into camp, the Raiders had brought in UDFA AJ Cole, a rookie out of North Carolina State, who has reportedly won the starting punting role, for the time being at least.
Saturday evening against the Los Angeles Rams, Townsend had a rough night, and finished with three punts for 127 yards and a 42.3 yard average, with one punt going only 34 yards. Townsend’s inability to move the ball downfield and pin the offense is a reminder of the woes that he faced throughout the 2018 season in which his best play on the punt team was a 42 yard fake punt against the Los Angeles Chargers in week 10.