Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

Raiders Could Be In Market For CB, RB Additions

July 4th, 2024 at 8:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the central storylines for the Raiders during training camp will be the competition for the starting quarterback position. This summer will serve as a key evaluation period at several other spots, though, and additions could be made depending on how Vegas’ in-house options perform.

The cornerback spot has frequently been mentioned as a potential weak spot on the Raiders’ defense. Nate Hobbs is on track to handle first-team duties in the slot, while Jack Jones is believed to be set to handle one of the starting perimeter roles. The other is available to Jakorian Bennett and Brandon Facyson for at least the time being, but Vegas bringing in an outside contender would not come as a surprise.

The Raiders were interested in veteran cover man Steven Nelson prior to his retirement, Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Nelson played 140 regular and postseason games, but last month he elected to hang up his cleats. That decision thinned the cornerback market to a degree, but the likes of Stephon Gilmore, Xavien Howard, Adoree’ Jackson and Patrick Peterson are still on the market.

Like many veterans at this time of year, any of the available corners could likely be added by the Raiders or any other interested team at a relatively low cost. Vegas has over $34MM in cap space, but the team is unlikely to make a lucrative addition in the absence of a major injury. Nevertheless, Tafur predicts Vegas will pursue a signing (not unlike that of Marcus Peters last year) at or around the beginning of training camp.

Likewise, the team’s backfield could see a new face this summer. Josh Jacobs‘ departure has the paved the way for Zamir White to ascend to a starter’s workload, a role he held late last year. The 2022 fourth-rounder impressed when Jacobs was injured, and he could cement his RB1 status over free agent signing Alexander Mattison with a strong showing in camp. As Tafur adds, though, an underwhelming performance by either early in the summer could drive new general manager Tom Telesco to seek out a signing.

Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray are some of the backfield options still available. That group also includes Brandon Bolden, who spent the past two years with the Raiders in a special teams capacity. A reunion on the latter front or an outside addition is feasible given Vegas’ cap situation, and it will be interesting to see if Telesco pursues one this summer.

Malcolm Koonce On Raiders’ Extension Radar?

July 2nd, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco has made a few key additions this offseason, but the team has a number of extension-eligible players who could make a case for new deals. An evaluation period for those contributors would not come as a surprise during Telesco’s first campaign at the helm.

Nevertheless, a small number of players could be in line for an extension. One of those is edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, whom The Athetic’s Vic Tafur notes is highly regarded by the team’s staff (subscription required). The 26-year-old barely saw any defensive time across his first two seasons with the team, but things changed in 2023. Koonce logged a 44% snap share in addition to a heavy special teams workload.

Seeing time both as a base end as well as a stand-up rusher, the former third-rounder enjoyed a strong third season in the NFL. Koonce racked up eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 23 pressures and three forced fumbles while playing 500 defensive snaps. As Tafur writes, Vegas’ staff is confident further development can take place moving forward, and as such an extension would be logical from the team’s perspective. One year remains on Koonce’s rookie contract.

As a result, the Buffalo alum is due $1.34MM in 2024. A new deal would no doubt check in at a much higher rate, depending on how optimistic the Raiders are regarding Koonce’s ability to develop into a full-time starter. The team has already made one of the league’s most lucrative edge investments with Maxx Crosby, and free agency brought about the high-priced addition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. With those two in the fold, Vegas already has plenty of money committed to the defensive front.

Koonce – who ranked 22nd amongst edge defenders with an overall PFF grade of 81.3 last season – could increase his market value with another strong season in 2024 and thus make a Raiders re-up more expensive next spring than it would be now. The team has plenty of financial wiggle room at the moment, but Telesco is not expected to make any more splashy moves this offseason.

Tafur names linebacker Robert Spillane as the player likely second in a hypothetical extension pecking order, and several other defenders are also candidates for a new deal. Koonce could play his way into the most lucrative one, however, so it will be interesting to see if the Raiders show urgency in pursuing an agreement.

Chandler Jones Likely To Avoid Jail Time

June 25th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Chandler Jones was released by the Raiders last September after facing a pair of domestic violence charges. It sounds like the pass rusher will ultimately avoid jail time, per Taylor Lane of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

After entering a no-contest plea, one of Jones’ domestic violence charges was dismissed. The other charge resulted in a suspended 90-day jail sentence, and Jones can avoid jail time “if he stays out of trouble and has no contact with his victim,” according to Lane. This condition lasts through December 17.

Jones was first arrested in September after violating a temporary protection order against the mother of his son. The arrest report says that Jones “got naked and burned the woman’s belongings that he took from her backyard,” per Lane. The Raiders released Jones shortly after this incident. The veteran was arrested again in October after violating the same protection order.

Prior to his legal issues, Jones was engaged in a public feud with the Raiders organization. The player was publicly critical of both head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, with Jones claiming that he was locked out of the team’s facility. Jones later stated that he no longer wanted to play for the franchise, and he was sitting on the NFI list before being cut by the Raiders. Jones signed a three-year, $51MM deal with the team in March 2022, but the organization only got an underwhelming 15-game showing from the former All-Pro.

Jones had stints in New England and Arizona prior to his tumultuous stint in Las Vegas. The former first-round pick has 112 career sacks, 49 of which came between his 2017 and 2019 campaigns with the Cardinals. It’s been naturally quiet on the Jones front since his release from the Raiders last year, and with 2024 representing his age-34 season, there’s a good chance the edge defender won’t get another NFL gig. In the unlikely event that he does resurface with a team, he’ll likely face punishment from the league stemming from his two most-recent arrests.

Latest On Raiders’ QB Competition

June 23rd, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco made it clear this spring the team would conduct a genuine competition for the starting quarterback job. 2023 fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell and free agent addition Gardner Minshew split first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp, setting up an interesting situation for the summer.

O’Connell took over from Jimmy Garoppolo midway through last season, and his final weeks of the campaign in particular led to strong endorsements from head coach Antonio Pierce. The 25-year-old received a vote of confidence to enter camp atop the depth chart, but Vegas was among the teams known to be interested in adding a first-round rookie quarterback. In the end, the Raiders did not have the option to trade into a top three slot and add a passer.

Minshew signed a two-year, $25MM contract in March to provide Vegas with either an experienced bridge starter or a veteran capable of stepping in for a rookie. The team viewed him as an insurance policy for any potential draft additions, but with none being made the 28-year-old will have a chance to win the QB1 gig during the summer. He may have ground to make up once training camp opens, though.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent SportsCenter appearance that while the Raiders’ competition is a “real battle,” O’Connell may have the lead at this point. Familiarity with the team is a factor in his potential edge (along with, as Fowler notes, support from wideout Davante Adams) although Vegas has installed a new scheme this offseason under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Fowler does add that Minshew has grown comfortable in the team’s offense as well, leaving plenty to be decided in the coming weeks.

Fowler predicts both O’Connell and Minshew could wind up seeing playing time in the preseason, something which is generally not the case for starters at many positions (especially quarterback) these days. If training camp practices are not sufficient for a leading candidate to emerge, though, Pierce may be required to use both signal-callers in game action to determine the order of the depth chart.

O’Connell is attached to his rookie contract for three more years at cap hits no larger than $1.27MM. Minshew, meanwhile, has scheduled cap charges of just $5.84MM and $3.16MM over the next two seasons thanks to the void years present in his deal. The Raiders will therefore have a cost-effective QB tandem in 2024, but it remains to be seen who will get the nod for Week 1.

Latest On Raiders’ Offensive Line

June 19th, 2024 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

After making minimal changes during the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler period, the Raiders made a few moves aimed to bolster their offensive line this offseason. Though, they passed on a clear-cut upgrade effort.

The Raiders did not capitalize on this draft’s deep tackle crop, leaving Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, Troy Fautanu and Co. on the board at No. 13 in order to take Brock Bowers in a best-player-available pick. With two-year right tackle starter Jermaine Eluemunor committing to New York during the legal tampering period, Las Vegas is readying to plug former seventh-rounder Thayer Munford in as a starter.

This has been a rumored scenario for a bit, but coming out of minicamp, ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez points to the Ohio State product being the clear favorite to take over opposite Kolton Miller. Munford was viewed as a player who could push Eluemunor for the gig during training camp last year, but the Raiders passed on elevating the younger player and kicking the veteran to a swing role. This worked out well for Eluemunor, who parlayed his second season as Las Vegas’ RT into a career-best payday (two years, $14MM) from the Giants.

Munford also saw time at left tackle last season, filling in for an injured Miller, who missed four games. Pro Football Focus viewed Munford’s work positively, particularly in the run game, in part-time duty. Ohio State has churned out a number of quality O-line prospects in recent years, and while Munford lasted until pick No. 238 in 2022, he started 45 games for the Buckeyes. He earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2020 and ’21, providing an interesting background ahead of this starter opportunity.

Raiders offensive line coach James Clegg confirmed (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) the team is moving Dylan Parham from left to right guard. This previously rumored move will pair Parham, a two-year LG starter, with Munford and clear a path for rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson on the left side. Though, Powers-Johnson missed most of Las Vegas’ offseason program with an undisclosed injury. Teams are not obligated to specify injuries during the offseason, but the second-round pick missed considerable time ahead of his first training camp.

One of the veteran blockers the Raiders added later in free agency, Cody Whitehair primarily filled in for Powers-Johnson, Gutierrez adds. Miller, who underwent shoulder surgery earlier this offseason, gave way to the other notable UFA O-line addition — Andrus Peat — during minicamp, per Tafur. While Whitehair and Peat look to be insurance options, they each have started more than 100 games. The Raiders received some quality stopgap work from mid-offseason pickup Greg Van Roten — at right guard — last season but did not re-sign him. Powers-Johnson’s training camp status will be worth monitoring, and his offseason absences stand to help Whitehair, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.5MM ($1.4MM guaranteed).

Peat’s extensive past, which includes Pro Bowl nods, at left guard would help his cause. But the Raiders using him as Miller’s fill-in opens the door for Whitehair. Peat also spent much of last season at LT, replacing an ineffective Trevor Penning.

The Raiders plan to manage Miller to keep him healthy this season, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore. This could lead to Peat, whose $2MM contract only includes $450K guaranteed, being prioritized as veteran insurance. Two years remain on Miller’s three-year, $54MM extension, though no guaranteed money is left on the veteran LT’s deal.

Peat in a swing role would make sense, given his past at guard and tackle. Whitehair has played extensively at guard and center. The Raiders also drafted Delmar Glaze in the third round, crowding a depth chart that was thinner in 2023. Glaze has backed up Munford this offseason, per Gutierrez. For now, though, left guard may be the only job up for grabs going into training camp.

AFC West Notes: Franklin-Myers, Broncos, Brady, Raiders, OL, Chiefs, Cook, Chargers

June 19th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Jets work on a solution to bring trade acquisition Haason Reddick into the fold, the Broncos have longtime Gang Green D-line starter John Franklin-Myers penciled into a starting post. Franklin-Myers is expected to start alongside Zach Allen and D.J. Jones in Vance Joseph‘s 3-4 scheme. The Broncos acquired the 27-year-old D-lineman for only a 2026 sixth-round pick, with the deal amounting to a salary dump on the Jets’ part. Denver reworked Franklin-Myers’ deal, with terms (two years, $15MM) north of where a Jets pay-cut offer came in, and improved one of their DE spots from last season. The former Rams draftee said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold) he spoke with Joseph and Broncos senior defensive assistant Joe Vitt about how he would fit in Denver’s scheme, helping move the trade across the goal line.

While significant questions remain about the Broncos’ viability as a contender, the team has experienced cogs at just about every spot across both lines. Here is the latest from the AFC West:

The Chiefs boast experience at four positions on their offensive front, but the reigning champions’ left tackle post is unsettled as of now. Second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia looks to hold an early lead on 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris for the job, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor. Suamataia took the majority of the first-team reps during minicamp. Training camp will, of course, provide a clearer indication of this position battle (subscription required). Should Suamataia end up losing the competition, it would stand to reason he would have a shot to eventually claim it as he develops. But the BYU product is off to a nice start, albeit in unpadded work.
Down Bryan Cook for their final nine games due to an ankle injury, the Chiefs saw the third-year safety participate fully in minicamp, Taylor adds. This certainly brings good news, given that Cook was carted off Lambeau Field in early December. The Chiefs, who lost fill-in Mike Edwards to the Bills this offseason, are once again planning to turn to Cook and Justin Reid as their starting safeties.
Trey Pipkins‘ move to guard is looking likely to produce a starting opportunity. Pipkins joined Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman and Joe Alt in taking every first-team rep during the team’s final OTA and the minicamp open to media, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper writes. Jim Harbaugh said this group is on track to be a “top-tier” O-line. A career-long tackle, Pipkins’ guard move has been in the works for a bit now. Two seasons remain on his three-year, $21.75MM deal.
Jim Leonhard interviewed for the Eagles’ defensive coordinator job last year and appeared the frontrunner for the Packers’ DC gig in 2021. After leaving his Wisconsin DC post following the 2022 season, Leonhard spent last year as an analyst at Illinois. Sean Payton hired Leonhard to coach the Broncos‘ DBs this year and said (via DNVR Sports’ Zac Stevens) he attempted to hire the former safety in 2023. Leonhard undergoing a hip replacement delayed this partnership, but he has since replaced Christian Parker, who joined the Eagles this offseason.
Nearly 13 months have passed since Tom Brady agreed to buy a Raiders stake. The owners continue to table the matter, with multiple issues — from the stake price (since resolved) to the conflict of interest with Brady’s FOX job — coming up. Owners did not discuss this at last month’s meetings, but the Washington Post’s Mark Maske notes Brady still is more likely than not to end up a Raiders minority owner. Roger Goodell said Brady’s access to team facilities and practices would need to be addressed if he is approved. Barring a special session, the owners’ next chance to vote in Brady as a Raiders part-owner comes in October.

Latest On Raiders’ RB Situation

June 18th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Jacobs is no longer in place for the Raiders, meaning the team’s backfield will look different in 2024. After the former first-rounder departed without any negotiations on a re-signing, Zamir White is on track to handle lead back duties.

The latter showed promise last season, his second in the NFL. White racked up 451 rushing yards, many of which came during a four-week stretch to close out the campaign in which Jacobs was sidelined through injury. The 24-year-old should be expected to shoulder by far the heaviest workload of his career in 2024, although free agent Alexander Mattison represents an experienced competitor for carries.

“Just because [White has] got the job now, that doesn’t mean it can’t be taken,” head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic (subscription required). “Alex Mattison is a really good football player, and that’s how I’m going to keep going about our team… So Zamir understands that – don’t get comfortable. And I think he’s done a really good job with that.”

Mattison spent his first five NFL seasons in Minnesota, generally serving as Dalvin Cook‘s backup. The Vikings’ decision to move on from the four-time Pro Bowler last offseason left the door open to Mattison seeing increased usage. He logged a career-high in carries (180) and rushing yards (700), but his efficiency of 3.9 yards per attempt and lack of rushing scores led to Minnesota moving on. Mattison, 25, inked a one-year, $2MM pact in March as he aims to rebuild his value.

A report from last month confirmed the White-Mattison arrangement was the Raiders’ plan at the running back spot, and veteran Ameer Abdullah is in place as a special teams mainstay. As Tafur notes, though, Vegas could be in the market for another addition during training camp or as part of roster cutdowns. With White on his rookie pact and the team having elected not to retain Jacobs on a lucrative deal, the position does not feature a pricey commitment at this time.

To no surprise, several veterans are still unsigned during the period between offseason programs ending and training camps beginning. Cook, Kareem Hunt and Cam Akers are among the backs who are on the market and who should be available for a low price in the summer. Vegas has over $34MM in cap space, although splashy signings through the remainder of the 2024 offseason should not be expected. Plenty will of course depend on the outcome of the competition between White and Mattison once camp opens next month.

Maxx Crosby Hopes To Finish Career With Raiders

June 15th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maxx Crosby is on the books through 2026, and the Raiders’ recent actions suggest a desire to keep him in place for years to come. That sentiment is matched by the star edge rusher.

Vegas accelerated $6MM of Crosby’s compensation for 2024, adding $1.5MM in salary for the following season as well. He is set to carry big-money cap hits for each of the final three years of his contract as things stand, and it would come as no surprise if an extension were to be worked out down the road. That would allow the 26-year-old to meet his goal of remaining with the organization through the rest of his career.

“The guys who inspire me are the Kobe [Bryants] and the [Michael] Jordans; the guys that stayed at the same place and won in the same place,” Crosby said during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show (video link). “No offense to the guys like LeBron [James] and those dudes – I won’t give them some heat, but they took the easier road traveled and that’s not the way I look at it.

“So, I plan on being here for a very long time and I plan on winning here. You know when I signed that contract, I didn’t have any type of, you know, thought of leaving or idea of leaving. I feel like I’m going to be a Raider for life.”

Crosby signed a four-year, $94MM pact in 2022 and he ranks ninth in the league in terms of annual average value amongst edge rushers. He has proven to be a sound investment for Vegas so far, racking up 27 sacks across the past two seasons. He has led the league in tackles for loss (22, 23) both times as well and he remains on track to serve as the focal point of the Raiders’ defense for the foreseeable future. He was floated as a trade candidate in the event Antonio Pierce was not named head coach, but with the interim tag being removed this offseason that is now a moot point.

The three-time Pro Bowler should manage to move into third in franchise history with respect to sacks if he remains healthy in 2024. The top spot belongs to Greg Townsend with 107.5, so Crosby (52) has a long way to go in that regard. Townsend also holds the top spot for games played (174), but if Crosby has his way he could threaten that mark by staying in place for the duration of his NFL tenure.

Giants TE Darren Waller To Retire

June 9th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout much of the offseason, the future of Darren Waller has been in question. The veteran tight end has been expected to retire for some time, though, and to little surprise that is the direction he has elected to move in.

Waller has informed the Giants he will hang up his cleats, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The 31-year-old made it clear he would make a final decision no later than the break between mandatory minicamp and training camp. With the final aspect of New York’s offseason program set to take place over the coming days, the team can now move forward knowing Waller will not be in the fold.

The former Pro Bowler faced major expectations upon his arrival with the Giants, which came about last offseason via trade. He was attached to a three-year, $51MM pact, but much of that will now come off the books given this decision. Waller’s retirement will create roughly $11.6MM in cap space while incurring a dead money charge of just over $2.4MM in 2024 and ’25. Given the nature of the free agent market at this time of year, of course, the team will be hard-pressed to find a starting-caliber replacement.

Plenty of snaps will be available to 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Bellinger once again. He served as New York’s starter as a rookie, but his role diminished last season with Waller in place. The Giants added Theo Johnson in the fourth round of this year’s draft, and he will aim to carve out at least a rotational place in the team’s offensive plans. Veterans Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz are also in the picture at the tight end spot.

Waller began his career as a sixth-round pick in 2015. His Ravens tenure consisted of sparse usage and a one-year suspension in 2017 for a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. After joining the Raiders, however, he saw a major uptick in production. During the 2019 campaign, the Georgia Tech product posted 1,145 yards. He followed that up with a 107-1,196-9 statline one year later, cementing his status as one of the top pass-catching options at the position around the league. Hamstring injuries became a problem over the past three years, however.

Over time, the missed action increasingly became an issue for the Raiders, and Waller’s injuries were a key factor in the decision to find a trade partner. The Giants paid only a compensatory third-round pick to acquire him last March, but Waller’s tenure in the Big Apple will go down as a notable disappointment. Injury consideration was a central component of his decision-making process with respect to attempting at least one more year in the league, something which would have seen him receive as much as $12MM.

Instead, Waller will call it a career after eight seasons and nine years in the NFL. With over $42MM in career earnings, he will now turn his attention to his post-playing endeavors. The Giants, meanwhile, will prepare for training camp with added financial flexibility but a vacancy on the TE depth chart.

Raiders Not Planning Free Agent Additions?

June 7th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the initial waves of free agency along with the draft having taken place, many teams around the NFL do not have the cap space to make a notable splash this summer. The Raiders have plenty of spending power, but a noteworthy acquisition should not be expected.

Vegas was one of the teams which executed a post-June 1 release in 2024, moving on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after one season in Sin City. That created $24MM in cap space, bringing the Raiders’ available funds to roughly $34MM. Rather than committing a portion of that to an immediate addition, the team is planning to keep it for in-season breathing space and future use, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

The addition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (four years, $110MM) represents the team’s most lucrative outside deal this offseason. Other big-ticket financial moves include the recent acceleration of compensation on edge rusher Maxx Crosby‘s deal and the signing of quarterback Gardner Minshew. A number of veterans remain on the free agent market, but interest from new Raiders GM Tom Telesco does not appear to be high.

As Reed notes, Vegas sees the remaining list of available players as negligible upgrades at positions such as cornerback. Nate Hobbs is set to start in the slot, with Jack Jones in line for a first-team role on the outside. Who will join the latter on the perimeter remains to be seen, but both Reed and Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal write that 2023 Jakorian Bennett has received the most starter’s reps so far this offseason.

By passing on an addition at the CB spot (which could involve the arrival of a player like Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Steven Nelson, Adoree’ Jackson or Patrick Peterson), the Raiders will leave funds available for moves at other positions if they become necessary. Poor performance or injuries this summer could require a deal which is not currently deemed necessary. On a larger scale, Reed notes Vegas likely does not see 2024 as the season for a serious run at a Super Bowl, meaning rolling over funds into next year would be a logical approach.

Bonsignore also notes the Raiders should not be expected to aggressively seek out a move with the funds opened up by Garoppolo’s release. Position battles amongst the team’s in-house options will thus be worth watching closely as the rest of the offseason unfolds.

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