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Raiders, TE Austin Hooper Agree To Terms

March 22nd, 2023 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders met with Austin Hooper on Wednesday, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), and he will join the Silver and Black. The sides agreed on terms, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets.

Hooper has bounced around the league; he spent 2022 with the Titans. The Raiders will be his fourth NFL team. The former Falcons, Browns and Titans tight end will sign a one-year deal worth $2.75MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The deal can max out at $3.5MM, but the Raiders will save quite a bit by making a Darren Waller-to-Hooper pivot.

Going from Waller to Hooper, 28, represents an obvious downgrade in athleticism, Hooper’s two Pro Bowls (as an alternate) aside. Hooper did finish last season with 41 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the Titans’ passing game sinking toward the bottom of the league, Hooper totaled the most receiving yards since his Falcons days. Waller is one of just eight tight ends in NFL history to post multiple 1,100-yard receiving seasons, though he has not done so since 2020.

Before George Kittle‘s second contract and Travis Kelce‘s third moved the tight end market north from its stagnant place during Rob Gronkowski‘s Patriots-friendly agreement, the Browns made Hooper the league’s highest-paid tight end. Hooper landed a four-year, $42MM deal with Cleveland in 2020 but could not live up to it. Working alongside David Njoku, Hooper topped out at 435 receiving yards in a season during his Cleveland stay. The Browns bailed on the deal, designating Hooper as a post-June 1 cut, in 2022.

The Raiders gave Waller a $17MM-per-year pact, which, for AAV purposes, became the new tight end standard in September. But Waller battled a lingering hamstring injury that sidelined him for eight games last season. In 2021, the talented tight end missed six. Some among the Raiders expressed frustration with Waller last season, and the Giants dealt away their Kadarius Toney-obtained third-rounder for the 30-year-old playmaker. The Raiders are moving on, but Hooper should probably not be considered their only offseason addition.

Hooper, who did eclipse 600 receiving yards with Matt Ryan in 2018 and ’19, has also been more available compared to Waller. Hooper has missed one game over the past two seasons. It will be interesting to see how he fits in Josh McDaniels‘ offense; Pro Football Focus rated Hooper as one of the NFL’s worst run-blocking tight ends last season.

Ex-Waller sidekick Foster Moreau remains a free agent, though he met with the Bengals recently. The Raiders will also have the option of taking a tight end in what is believed to be a rich crop of prospects in this year’s draft. But Hooper will provide Jimmy Garoppolo with a veteran presence and will do so at a low cost, which will be important to a team with three eight-figure-per-year wideouts and a running back on the franchise tag.

Raiders Expected To Sign CB David Long

March 22nd, 2023 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

A fifth-year cornerback who has played a part-time role with the Rams, David Long plans to sign with the Raiders. It is a one-year agreement, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets.

This comes more than a week after the Dolphins took the other David Long, a former Titans linebacker, off the market. While the NFL’s two-David Long free agency market did not generate the attention the league’s two available Connor McGoverns did coming into the league year, the Longs have edged the McGoverns in finding destinations. After the Bills signed the ex-Cowboys guard, the veteran center remains a free agent.

This David Long, a third-round Rams draftee in 2019, spent the past two seasons as a regular alongside Jalen Ramsey in Los Angeles. The Rams have now lost Long, Ramsey and Darious Williams from their Super Bowl LVI-winning team. Long, 25, played 47% of the Rams’ defensive snaps in 2021 and logged a 37% snap rate last season.

Although Long played only 288 defensive snaps last season (after a 516-snap 2021), he allowed a 75% completion rate and a 113.3 passer rating as the closest defender in coverage. The Michigan alum fared better in 2021, allowing just more than 60% of the passes thrown his way to be completed and limited QBs to a collective 84.9 rating. Long added a pick-six in the Rams’ wild-card rout of the Cardinals that season. The Raiders will take a flier on the 5-foot-11 defender.

Las Vegas showed interest in bringing back Rock Ya-Sin, but the 2022 trade acquisition remains on the market. The team entered free agency with a need at corner, and despite the addition of Long and reunion with Brandon Facyson, this almost definitely remains a need area for Josh McDaniels‘ team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/23

March 20th, 2023 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

The Giants are giving Leonard Johnson a three-year deal, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The former Duke prospect suffered a torn ACL while training for the 2022 draft; the Giants worked him out Monday and saw enough to take a flier. While Ford made two starts for the Falcons last season, the ex-UDFA is best known for his special teams work. He saw action on 83% of Atlanta’s ST plays last season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the Bengals are giving him a one-year deal worth up to $2.25MM.

Both Scharping and Lonnie Johnson are former Texans second-round picks. The Texans waived Scharping on roster-cutdown day in August, but the Bengals claimed him. Although Scharping only played 30 snaps for Cincinnati last season, the team will keep him around for another run at a backup gig. Months before bailing on Scharping, the Texans traded Johnson to the Chiefs. But Kansas City did not see much from the acquisition in camp and waived him. The Titans picked up Johnson via waivers, using him as a backup. Johnson has experience at both cornerback and safety, and The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds he agreed to a one-year Saints deal (Twitter link).

Raiders To Re-Sign WR Keelan Cole, Add WR Cam Sims

March 20th, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

It took Keelan Cole a while before he landed a free agency deal in 2022, with the Raiders signing him more than a week after last year’s draft. The team is locking the veteran wide receiver down days into the new league year.

Cole will return to the Raiders on a one-year pact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders lost auxiliary wideout Mack Hollins to the Falcons on Sunday but will retain Cole, who played a regular role in Josh McDaniels‘ first season at the helm. The team will further add to the back end of its receiver room by signing Cam Sims as well, Ben Standig of The Athletic tweets.

[RELATED: Raiders To Sign WR Phillip Dorsett]

The Raiders have eight-figure-per-year commitments to four skill-position players — Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Jakobi Meyers, Josh Jacobs — so it should be fairly clear where Cole will reside in Jimmy Garoppolo‘s aerial pecking order. The former Jaguars pass catcher is coming off a 10-reception, 141-yard season in the desert. He did add a touchdown — a disputed score against the Patriots that preceded Meyers’ infamous lateral attempt — last season, and Hollins’ departure figures to open up more opportunities.

But the Adams-Renfrow-Meyers setup will effectively cap — barring injury issues — what Cole, Sims and Dorsett will be able to produce in 2023. These additions will, however, create competition for the team’s backup receiver roles.

This will be Cole’s age-30 season. The Division III success story led the AFC championship game-bound Jaguars in receiving yards (748) in 2017, and he posted 642 yards and a career-high five touchdown catches with Jacksonville in 2020.

Cole did not see action on much of Las Vegas’ special teams plays last season, but Sims has been more active in that area recently. The 6-foot-5 ex-Washington contributor played 53% of the Commanders’ ST snaps in 2022. Sims has spent the entirety of his five-year career in Washington. Still struggling to find a higher-end complement to Terry McLaurin in 2020, Washington turned to Sims. The Alabama alum-turned-UDFA caught 32 passes for 477 yards that year and added a seven-catch, 104-yard outing against the Buccaneers in a closer-than-expected wild-card game.

Sims, 27, was not a big part of Washington’s passing game over the past two seasons; he caught eight passes for 89 yards in 2022. But he will follow ex-Commanders OC Scott Turner, who joined the Raiders as the team’s pass-game coordinator this offseason.

Raiders Sign TE O.J. Howard, DE Jordan Willis

March 20th, 2023 at 2:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after trading away Darren Waller, the Raiders are set make an addition at the tight end position. Vegas is finalizing a deal with O.J. Howard, reports Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). A team announcement has confirmed the move.

The veteran visited the Raiders earlier today, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That meeting obviously went well, and Howard can now prepare to join his fourth career NFL team, though Vegas will only be the third he has played for in the regular season. The former first-rounder’s career has not rebounded as hoped following his Buccaneers tenure.

Howard topped 500 yards only once during his five-year stint in Tampa Bay, as the team used a number of other options at the position to supplement him in recent years. It was hoped that a change of scenery would allow him to rebuild his value, and he signed a one-year, $5MM deal with the Bills last offseason. That set him up for a high-priced backup role behind entrenched starter Dawson Knox. Howard’s Buffalo tenure did not last long, however.

The Alabama product struggled in training camp and the preseason, which left his status on the Bills’ roster in question heading towards the fall. The 28-year-old was released as part of Buffalo’s roster cutdowns in August. He wound up joining the Texans, with whom he made 10 starts and 13 total appearances in 2022. Howard made 10 catches for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns, figures which point to him being best-suited as a backup or part of a tandem. Waller has plenty of production the team needs to replace, so this move will likely not be the last they make at the TE spot.

It likely does signal, however, that incumbent Foster Moreau will be headed elsewhere in free agency. The former fourth-rounder had a career-high 33 catches for 420 yards in 2022, but he could be headed to the NFC in the near future. Moreau recently visited the Saints, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). A deal with New Orleans would allow him to continue playing with quarterback Derek Carr.

While Howard is in place on offense, the Raiders are also making a defensive addition on Monday. Per a team announcement, defensive end Jordan Willis has been signed. The veteran has most recently seen time with the 49ers, though he didn’t start any of his 26 appearances in San Francisco. His 7.5 sacks in the Bay Area point to a level of production in a rotational role, and that is likely what awaits the 27-year-old in Vegas.

The Raiders’ offense continues to be reshaped, with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jakobi Meyers headlining the team’s additions so far on that side of the ball. While the absence of Waller will be felt, Howard will give Vegas an experienced option in their reconfigured passing attack.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/23

March 19th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/18/23

March 18th, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Armstrong saw by far the largest workload of his career in 2022, his first season with the Falcons. Starting four of the nine games he appeared in, he logged a 57% snap share on defense. The 27-year-old had offers from other teams, per his agent (on Twitter), but he will instead remain in Atlanta on a one-year contract (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2).

Moore is one of several core special teamers earning new deals in recent days. His new Lions pact is two years in length, and has a base value of $4.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Moore will earn $3MM guaranteed, and could add a further $1.25MM in incentives.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/17/23

March 17th, 2023 at 10:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

Board is a strong special teamer, signing a two-year, $5MM deal with New England, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The contract reportedly includes incentives that can push the deal to a maximum value of $6.7MM.

Colon-Castillo reportedly visited the Falcons today, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Despite the visit, he decided to sign with the Jets.

Raiders To Re-Sign OL Jermaine Eluemunor

March 16th, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders are bringing back Jermaine Eluemunor. The team has reached an agreement with the offensive lineman, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

A former fifth-round pick by Baltimore, Eluemunor bounced around the NFL a bit before landing in Las Vegas, spending time with the Ravens, Patriots, Dolphins, and Jaguars. He got an extended look in New England between 2019 and 2020, starting eight of his 22 appearances with the team.

He caught on with the Raiders for the 2021 campaign, starting three of his 14 games. The lineman then earned the starting right tackle gig heading into the 2022 campaign and proceeded to start all 17 games for the Raiders. Pro Football Focus ended up grading him 21st among 81 qualifying offensive tackles.

The Raiders also re-signed offensive tackle Brandon Parker earlier this offseason, but the two moves won’t preclude the organization from picking an offensive tackle in the draft, per Bonsignore. However, the return of their 2022 start will make that potential draft selection “less urgent.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/23

March 15th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Washington Commanders

Smith got a two-year deal from Denver that can max out at $5.5MM, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). Smith got a $1.4MM signing bonus to join the Broncos, per Troy Renck of Denver7 (via Twitter). After finishing last in kicker return average in 2022, the Broncos should get a bump from Smith, who averaged 23.9 yards on his 40 kickoff returns for Houston over the past two years.

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