Raiders waive 2017 2nd-rounder Melifonwu

The Oakland Raiders have waived/injured defensive back Obi Melifonwu, the team announced on Thursday.

Melifonwu was the Raiders' second-round pick (56th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft but was limited to just five games as a rookie due to knee and hip injuries. The issues lingered into his second offseason, as he recently visited a specialist regarding a lower-body injury that could be tied to his 2017 hip surgery, according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur.

The Raiders also had questions regarding his passion for football, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Oakland was quick to fill the roster spot, as the team announced the signing of veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Melifonwu was a versatile defensive back for Connecticut from 2013-2016. He posted outstanding athletic metrics and excelled during the combine, running a 4.40 40-yard dash.

Entering his sophomore campaign, the 6-foot-4 defender was stuck behind safeties Marcus Gilchrist, Reggie Nelson, Karl Joseph, and Erik Harris on Oakland's depth chart.

Melifonwu will be exposed to waivers and will revert to injured reserve if he's unclaimed. The Raiders could release him with an injury settlement once his health improves.

Copyright (C) 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.