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Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

Raiders To Trade Bryan Edwards To Falcons

May 13th, 2022 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days after the Raiders signed Keelan Cole, they are moving on from one of their other auxiliary wide receivers. They are trading Bryan Edwards to the Falcons, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets.

The Raiders will add a 2023 fifth-round pick in this deal and send the Falcons a 2023 seventh, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). It should not surprise this pick swap-based deal reminds of the kind the Patriots have made frequently in recent years, with the Raiders’ new regime coming over from New England.

Two years remain on Edwards’ rookie contract; this will both give a former Day 2 pick a fresh start but also provide an opportunity to impress for a team with a thinner receiver depth chart. Although the Falcons drafted Drake London eighth overall, they entered Friday light on supporting-casters at the position. Edwards will join the likes of Olamide Zaccheaus, Auden Tate, Damiere Byrd and KhaDarel Hodge. The Falcons now possess a host of big targets for ex-Raider Marcus Mariota, with the 6-foot-3 Edwards joining London (6-4), Tate (6-5) and Kyle Pitts (6-6).

This trade marks another Raiders separation from an early-round 2020 draftee. They have waived first-rounders Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette and traded third-rounders Lynn Bowden Jr. and Edwards. The South Carolina product battled injuries as a rookie but showed progress last season, hauling in 34 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns. Las Vegas’ Dave Ziegler– and Josh McDaniels-led regime, however, has since acquired Cole, Demarcus Robinson and Mack Hollins, crowding the depth chart around top targets Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.

Atlanta has seen even more changes at the receiver position than Las Vegas, having seen its Julio Jones–Calvin Ridley–Russell Gage depth chart splinter. Ridley is banned for the year on a gambling suspension, and the Falcons were close to trading the former first-rounder to the Eagles. Gage, who led Falcon wideouts in receiving yardage by a wide margin last season, is now a Buccaneer.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/22

May 12th, 2022 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Released: WR Cyrus Holder, WR Henry Litwin

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/22

May 12th, 2022 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday has featured several rookie deals finalized. Here are the mid- and late-round draftees to sign their four-year contracts today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • WR Montrell Washington (fifth round, Samford)

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • RB Snoop Conner (fifth round, Ole Miss)
  • CB Gregory Junior (sixth round, Ouachita Baptist)
  • CB Montaric Brown (seventh round, Arkansas)

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Patriots To Trade Jarrett Stidham To Raiders

May 12th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Adam La Rose

After they added more depth to their quarterback room, the Patriots were likely to make a move with Jarrett Stidham. They have done so today, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports (on Twitter) that New England is trading him to the Raiders. 

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that New England is sending a seventh round pick along with Stidham in exchange for a sixth-rounder from Vegas (Twitter link). The deal represents a new beginning for the 25-year-old, but it will reunite him with a familiar face on the Raiders’ staff in Josh McDaniels.

After being drafted in the fourth round by New England in 2019, Stidham worked with the new Vegas head coach when he served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. That season marked Tom Brady‘s last with the team, so it came as no surprise that he only attempted four passes in the regular season. After Brady’s departure, though, expectations were raised for Stidham to be able to take over the starting role.

That didn’t end up happening, however, as the Baylor and Auburn alum sat behind Cam Newton. Stidham made five appearances, completing 22 of 44 passes for 256 yards, a pair of touchdowns and three interceptions. Between the level of play showed by both signal-callers, the Patriots entered the subsequent draft needing a new quarterback. They filled that need by selecting Mac Jones in the first round.

This year, the team selected Bailey Zappe in the fourth round to further add to the depth chart. Given the presence of the Western Kentucky product, as well as veteran Brian Hoyer, Stidham would have faced stiff competition for a roster spot. The same could be true in Vegas, as he will join Nick Mullens, Garrett Gilbert and Chase Garbers in vying for the backup job behind Derek Carr.

Raiders, WR Keelan Cole Agree To Deal

May 11th, 2022 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are adding another prospective Davante Adams complementary piece. Former Jaguars and Jets wideout Keelan Cole will head to Las Vegas on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Cole will join Adams, Demarcus Robinson and Mack Hollins as Raider receiver additions this offseason. The team still rosters Bryan Edwards, who is going into his third season. Hunter Renfrow is entrenched as Vegas’ slot player. The Raiders did not draft a wideout last month.

A Division II success story, Cole caught on with the Jaguars out of Kentucky Wesleyan in 2017. With Allen Robinson going down early that season, Cole led the Jags with 748 yards as a rookie — for a team that made a surprise venture to the AFC championship game. Cole, 29, has only missed two games throughout his career — both coming last season.

The Jets gave Cole a one-year deal worth $5.5MM last year. Given the timing of this pact, it is unlikely Cole’s Raiders agreement surpasses that price. Cole caught 28 passes for 449 yards and a touchdown with the Jets. He scored a career-high five touchdowns in his Jaguars contract year in 2020.

Raiders Interested In James Bradberry

May 10th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the aftermath of James Bradberry hitting the open market, the identities of teams most interested in signing him is becoming clearer. The Raiders are one of those, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

[RELATED: Giants Release Bradberry]

Vegas would be a sensible destination, Bonsignore notes, for a number of reasons. One is the health status of starter Trayvon Mullen, who underwent “minor surgery”. Another, more generally, is the presence of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. He was hired by the Raiders this offseason after holding that same title with the Giants for the past two seasons – overlapping with Bradberry’s time in the Big Apple.

It was with Graham that the 28-year-old earned his lone Pro Bowl appearance in 2020. This past year, he had another strong campaign, totalling 47 tackles, a career-high four interceptions and 17 pass deflections. Given his cap hit of nearly $22MM, however, it was deemed inevitable he would be either traded or released this offseason.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen acknowledged yesterday that while there was trade interest, inquiring teams couldn’t work out contract terms to consummate a deal. It was reported not long after Bradberry’s release that the Texans were one such team, but that they are unlikely to pursue him in free agency, given their subsequent additions at the position. That could lead the former second rounder towards the Chiefs, who were likewise reported to be eyeing a trade for him in March.

As Bonsignore cautions, the Raiders may not be able to make Bradberry a competitive offer until next month. The team currently has less than $6MM in cap space, though that figure will grow considerably when their post-June 1st cuts come into effect. Interested as they may be, then, Vegas may not, at least immediately, represent the best landing spot for one of the top free agents on the market.

Raiders Host Nick Kwiatkoski

May 10th, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Adam La Rose

Nick Kwiatkoski was thought to be on his way out of Las Vegas, but a re-signing could still be a possibility. The Raiders hosted the veteran linebacker yesterday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 

The 29-year-old was released by the Raiders at the beginning of free agency. That brought an end to his two-year tenure with the team – at least, under the contract he signed in 2020, which was restructured twice. As a result of cutting Kwiatkoski, the Raiders created $5MM in dead money.

The team is apparently willing to bring him back at a reduced rate, given this news. In his first year in Vegas, the former fourth rounder took on the largest workload of his career, starting all 12 games he played in. He registered a career-high 81 tackles, adding an interception and four pass breakups. An ankle injury limited him to just eight games in 2021, though.

Kwiatkoski’s first free agent visit was with the Falcons last week. The team’s front office would have some familiarity with him, as recent hire Ryan Pace was the general manager in Chicago when the Bears drafted Kwiatkoski in 2016. However, it was reported at the time that the meeting with Atlanta was the first of multiple sit-downs; on that point, Pelissero adds that Kwiatkoski “has at least one more visit scheduled”. By the end of that third meeting, it may become clearer where he will ultimately land.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/22

May 9th, 2022 at 9:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Raiders Sign LB Kenny Young

May 9th, 2022 at 3:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are adding another veteran to their inside linebacker mix. They agreed to terms with Kenny Young on Monday, bolstering a position group that features mostly outside additions.

Young joins a cast including 2021 trade acquisition Denzel Perryman and 2022 free agent signings Jayon Brown and Micah Kiser. Young’s travels feature an interesting overlap with Kiser’s, with both having been with the Rams and Broncos in 2021. Las Vegas also has 2021 third-round pick Divine Deablo at linebacker.

Seeing injuries affect them at linebacker early in the season, the Broncos acquired Young from the Rams via an October trade. After starting seven games at inside linebacker in Los Angeles last season, Young became an instant starter in Denver and ended up a first-stringer in six games with his new team. The newest Raider linebacker add is coming off his best season, one in which he made 75 tackles (six for loss) and tallied two sacks.

A UCLA product, Young broke into the NFL as a Ravens fourth-round pick in 2018. He was involved in a midseason trade two years before his L.A.-to-Denver venture, being part of the Ravens’ Marcus Peters swap with the Rams. Young, 27, will now have a chance with a fourth team and will have more time to learn a defense compared to his two previous relocations.

NFL Front Office Notes: Ventrelle, Raiders, Patriots, Giants, Bears

May 7th, 2022 at 11:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Headlines were made yesterday when the Raiders released a statement from owner Mark Davis that team president Dan Ventrelle was “no longer with the Raiders organization.” Ventrelle had been promoted from executive vice president and interim president, after the resignation of Marc Badain, following the conclusion of the 2021 NFL season.

In an article from The Athletic, we learned that Ventrelle alleged he had been fired in retaliation for telling the NFL about concerns over a hostile workplace environment. Ventrelle’s statement was as follows:

“I have committed almost 18 years of my life to the success of the Raiders as General Counsel and President. I take that responsibility very seriously, which is why multiple written complaints from employees that (Davis) created a hostile work environment and engaged in other potential misconduct caused me grave concern.

“When Mark was confronted about these issues, he was dismissive and did not demonstrate the warranted level of concern. Given this, I informed the NFL of these issues of Mark’s unacceptable response. Soon thereafter, I was fired in retaliation for raising these concerns.”

Here are a few more notes from around the NFL, starting with another note from Sin City:

  • Despite the loss of the team president, Las Vegas has been busy filling out their front office staff. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tweeted out that Las Vegas was working towards bringing in Patriots national scout Brandon Yeargan to replace Jim Abrams as the team’s new college scouting director. Also, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported the addition of Dolphins college scout Lenny McGill to serve as the new Raiders west coast national scout. Yeargan follows new Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler and new head coach Josh McDaniels from New England after making the leap to the NFL back in 2013. McGill has spent 21 years scouting in the NFL for the Packers, Broncos, and Dolphins. He’ll add the Raiders to his list.
  • The Patriots are looking to restock their losses with the addition of Buccaneers area scout Tony Kinkela, according to Neil Stratton of Inside the League. Kinkela made the move to the NFL after working with Tulane and Washington State at the college level. He’s spent 13 years in Tampa Bay’s front office, earning a Super Bowl ring during his tenure. Kinkela will be headed towards a more senior role in New England.
  • New Giants general manager Joe Schoen is changing things up in an effort to make the front office his own, according to tweets from Jordan Raanan of ESPN and Dan Duggan of The Athletic, with credit to Stratton from above. Following the 2022 NFL Draft, the Giants have announced that four high level staff members will not be returning: director of college scouting Chris Pettit, senior personnel executive Kyle O’Brien, senior pro scouting executive Ken Sternfeld, and senior pro scout/football systems analyst Matt Schauger. Pettit, Sternfeld, and Schauger are all long-time New York employees. Pettit has been with the team since 2004, Sternfeld since 2002, and Schauger since 2005. O’Brien had joined the team for the 2021 season. One move, first reported by Stratton, that will address the departures is the addition of Bears area scout Scott Hamel, who is expected to play a role similar to what O’Brien had held, according to Art Stapleton of USA Today.
  • New Bears general manager Ryan Poles is making adjustments to his staff, as well. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, director of college scouting Mark Sadowski will not return. Sadowski has been with the Bears since 2005. Not everyone from the existing staff will be headed out, though, as former-director of pro scouting Jeff King has been promoted to co-director of player personnel, a role he’ll share with Trey Koziol. King started with the Bears as a scouting intern in 2015, rising quickly through the ranks in the past seven years. He was instrumental in many of the Bears’ 13 unrestricted free agents signings from other teams this offseason. Koziol broke into the NFL as an intern with the Titans in 2008. He spent the last nine years in Kansas City, starting as an area scout before working up to assistant director of college scouting this past season. It’s a smart move from Poles to have two co-directors of player personnel: one, King, specialized in pro scouting and one, Koziol, specialized in college scouting.
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