Raiders CB Rob Bartell gets beat Sunday for a touchdown by Browns WR Josh Gordon. Bartell was cut Monday. (US Presswire)

The Raiders' revolving door was working overtime Monday.

They made four roster moves, cutting starting cornerback Ron Bartell and backup fullback Owen Schmitt, reinstating linebacker Rolando McClain from the reserve/suspended by club list and promoting cornerback Chimdi Chekwa from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

For good measure, they re-signed safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah to the practice squad.

Starting left corner Michael Huff heard the news when he arrived to team quarters Monday morning and didn't believe Bartell, his fellow starting corner, had been waived.

"But I got in here, didn't see him in here," Huff said after practice from the locker room. "Definitely, definitely tough, but obviously part of the business.

"From Day 1, they've always said they're going to have the best players in here, they're going to do things, so I don't really take anything different (from it) than what they said in August when they first got here."

McClain is back on the 53-man roster after serving his two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, but he was excused from practice and won't be allowed to rejoin the team until after talking Tuesday to coach Dennis Allen.

Allen was in the Dallas area Monday for the funeral of his father, Grady Allen. On Friday, Allen said he had yet to talk to McClain since suspending him and would "address" his situation sometime this week.

Allen, understandably, was unavailable for comment. Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, through a team spokesperson, declined to comment about the roster moves.

With Bartell gone, backup Phillip Adams is expected to move into the starting lineup at right cornerback. He's appeared in 35 career games with four teams -- 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks and Raiders -- but is in line to make his first NFL start Sunday against Kansas City.

"I'm excited that I get to compete every day," Adams said. "I take great pleasure coming out here to play football. It's a game we all love. I just plan to keep on competing and being there for my teammates and everybody in the organization."

The Raiders claimed Adams off waivers from Seattle on Sept. 1, and he has appeared in 13 games as a punt returner and backup corner. Two weeks ago he replaced Bartell early in the first half against Cleveland and had an interception but left the game with a concussion. Last week he came off the bench and intercepted a pass by Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Adams, a seventh-round pick by the 49ers in 2010, also had five solo tackles and two passes defensed.

"He makes play, gets picks," Huff said of Adams. "Great technique. If it’s his number called, he’ll be just fine."

Adams has three career NFL interceptions, including one with the Patriots last season.

"I can get a football," the soft-spoken Adams said.

Chekwa, a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State last year, was waived by Oakland in the final round of cuts on Sept. 1 then was signed to the practice squad Sept. 3. As a rookie, he appeared in only four games with one start and wound up on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

"I really want to go out there and make a mark and do what I believe I can do and just have fun and play loose," Chekwa said. "That's really my focus. I'm not really worried about people watching me or them making a decision on what they want to do in the future. I just want to play football."

Bartell, who signed with Oakland during the offseason after playing his first seven seasons with St. Louis, broke a shoulder blade in the Raiders' opener against San Diego. Bartell was placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list. He missed seven games but returned Nov. 11 against Baltimore and started five straight games before being released.

When the season began, Bartell and Shawntae Spencer, a free-agent pickup from the 49ers, were the Raiders' starting corners. Spencer suffered a foot injury in Week 2 against Miami and never played another game this season for the Raiders. he was placed on season-ending injured reserve early last month.

Schmitt, another free agent addition, played sparingly for the Raiders and carried just two times for one yard. He became expendable when the Raiders signed fullback/running back Jamize Olawale last week off the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad.

"Obviously it is a business," Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. "Everyone's being evaluated from the top to the bottom. We're all in this together. We have to put our best foot forward in all of our efforts. It's a great week to get back on track."

Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter @CBSRaiders.