Raiders Waive Holloway, Willis

The Raiders waived veteran players Brian Holloway and Mitch Willis from their injured reserve list Thursday. Willis was then claimed by the Atlanta Falcons.

Holloway, 29, was a three-time Pro Bowl starter as a left tackle for the New England Patriots but was traded to the Raiders before the 1987 season. A member of the players’ union’s executive board, he claimed that he was traded because of his union activities. He started half the season after Bruce Davis was traded to Houston but lost his job in camp last summer.

Willis, 26, a 6-foot 8-inch, 280-pound nose tackle, was the No. 7 draft pick in 1984 but has played sparingly.

Two injured Raider receivers, Willie Gault, who has a shoulder problem, and Tim Brown, who has a sore knee, both practiced Thursday but their status for Sunday’s game at New Orleans is not known.