Usama

Young

Roach missed all of 2014 with a severe concussion. He reportedly still experiences headaches and isn’t expected to be cleared for next season. 29-year-old Young is recovering from October ACL surgery.

As expected, Woodson has stepped in ahead of Usama Young immediately despite just signing on three weeks ago. The 36-year-old will line up next to strong safety Tyvon Branch.

The former Brown and Saint is reuniting with coach Dennis Allen, who served as his DBs coach in New Orleans from 2008-10. Young started 11 games for the Browns last season. Young is best suited for a reserve role, but will likely start opposite Tyvon Branch. He notched 53 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three interceptions in 2012, so he may at least provide some big-play ability.

Young suffered the injury in Week 13 and would have been a long shot to return this season. A rotational safety, he finishes 2013 with 26 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception. The Raiders have just two healthy safeties on their active roster, so it’s a sign Tyvon Branch (fibula/ankle) could return next week.

Young finished 2013 on IR with a neck injury, but should be fine for the start of the season. A rotational safety, Young finished 2013 with 26 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception.

The Raiders will turn to liability Brandian Ross opposite Charles Woodson the rest of the way. An already weak secondary gets weaker with Young’s loss. He was playing well as a deep safety in the back of DC Jason Tarver’s 3-4 scheme.

Young as carted off in the third quarter and coach Tony Sparano said the prognosis “probably won’t be great.” Young was only starting because of Tyvon Branch’s season-ending foot injury sustained in Week 3. The next man up would be Brandian Ross.

The injury is thought to be a fractured fibula. It’s a devastating blow to the Raiders as Branch is one of the few true playmakers they have on defense. Last year, he was ProFootballFocus’ No. 32 safety among 88 qualifiers, grading out positively against both the run and the pass. Usama Young is the next man up.

It’s likely a fracture of some kind, because Ward’s foot has been in a cast all week after he injured it in last Sunday’s loss to the Texans. Usama Young will take over as Cleveland’s starting strong safety indefinitely. Ward’s loss is a sizable blow to the Browns’ top-ranked NFL pass defense, but will be felt much more against the run. Through the season’s first nine weeks, Pro Football Focus has graded Ward as the NFL’s No. 1 safety in run support.

Usama Young is running with the second team after starting eight games in 2011. A seventh-round pick last season, Hagg appeared in only 10 games, notching 11 tackles.