Johnathan Hankins - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Place Three Defenders On PUP

July 19th, 2022 at 6:04pm CST by Ben Levine

A trio of Raiders defenders landed on the Physically Unable to Perform List today. The team announced that defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, cornerback Trayvon Mullen Jr., and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols were all placed on PUP.

It’s uncertain what ailments the two defensive linemen are dealing with, but Mullen underwent foot surgery back in May, so it was always unlikely that he’d be ready to go for the start of training camp. If any of the players remain on PUP past August 23, they’ll be forced to miss the Raiders’ first four games of the 2022 season (a change from last year’s six-game rule).

The Raiders traded for Rock Ya-Sin and signed Anthony Averett earlier this offseaosn, so Mullen’s delayed start could cost him a starting gig. The former second-round pick has spent his entire three-year career with the Raiders, starting 31 of his 37 games. After starting all 16 games in 2020, the 24-year-old started each of his five games for the Raiders in 2021, finishing with 20 tackles, one interception, and four passes defended. He had two stints on the IR during the 2021 campaign.

Hankins and Nichols both missed a chunk of OTAs, but at the time, it was assumed the defensive tackles were healthy scratches. Instead, the two veterans will be limited to start training camp. Hankins started 14 games for the Raiders last season, collecting 38 tackles. Nichols signed a two-year deal with the Raiders this past offseason after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Bears. With the duo sidelined to start training camp, rookies like Neil Farrell Jr. and Matthew Butler could have a chance for extra reps.

The Raiders also announced that they’ve signed wide receiver Isaiah Zuber. The receiver spent the 2021 campaign on the 49ers, Browns, and Jets practice squads. He’s seen time in four career games, totaling 50 yards from scrimmage on four touches.

Raiders Re-Sign Johnathan Hankins

April 4th, 2022 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are keeping one of their own in the fold. On Monday, the Raiders announced that they’ve re-signed defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.

Terms of the deal are not yet known. Last offseason, Hankins re-upped on a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, a drop-off from his previous two-year, $8.5MM accord.

The Ohio State product been with the Raiders for past four seasons. Originally a 2011 second-round pick of the Giants, Hankins spent his first four years in New York. He then signed a three-year, $30MM pact with the Colts in 2017, but was released just one season into that. He landed with the Raiders, where he’s been ever since.

He’s started at least 14 games in each of his four seasons with the Raiders, including all 16 in 2020. In 2021, he finished with 38 tackles and, despite not registering a sack, he did notch two QB hits. All in all, he’s started in 60 of his 61 Raiders games for 172 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three fumble recoveries.

Hankins, heading into his tenth pro year, has registered 356 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries over the course of his career.

Raiders To Re-Sign Johnathan Hankins

March 17th, 2021 at 5:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Raiders are keeping one of their own in the fold. Las Vegas is re-signing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins to a one-year deal, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets.

Hankins’ contract is a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. It comes with a $1.75MM salary and a $1.75MM signing bonus, per Wilson. This will represent a slight salary decrease for the mammoth D-tackle, whose previous Raiders pact was a two-year, $8.5MM accord.

The big fella from Ohio State has been with the Raiders the past three seasons now. Originally a second-round pick of the Giants back in 2011, he spent his first four years in New York. He then signed a three-year, $30MM pact with the Colts in 2017, but was released just one season into that. He landed with the Raiders, where he’s been ever since.

He’s started at least 14 games in each of his three seasons with the team, including all 16 in 2020. He finished with 48 tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery while playing a little over 60 percent of the defensive snaps as a run-stuffer. He received middling marks from Pro Football Focus.

He signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal prior to the 2019 season, and it’ll be interesting to see how the financials on this one compare to that.

Seven Raiders Defenders To Come Off Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 21st, 2020 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Raiders practiced without several defenders this week, they are at least on track to have those players in uniform Sunday night against the Chiefs.

After continuing to test negative for COVID-19, seven Raider defenders will come off the team’s coronavirus list Saturday, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com tweets. Johnathan Abram, Johnathan Hankins, Arden Key, Maliek Collins, cornerback Isaiah Johnson and defensive lineman Kendal Vickers will be activated Saturday. David Irving is set to come off Las Vegas’ practice squad COVID-19 list, per Gutierrez.

The Raiders placed these seven players on their reserve/COVID list earlier this week, preventing each from practicing. They joined Lamarcus Joyner in that regard; the Raiders activated Joyner on Friday. This octet profiled as close contacts of Clelin Ferrell, who tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week. Abram, Hankins, Key, Collins, Johnson and Vickers will be eligible to play against the Chiefs if their most recent COVID tests come back negative Sunday morning. Irving must be activated off the Raiders’ practice squad to suit up in Week 11.

Unlike Week 7’s Raiders-Buccaneers game — which was moved out of the Sunday-night window after Las Vegas’ first-string offensive line did not practice all week because of Trent Brown‘s positive COVID test — the NFL did not switch this week’s Raiders-Chiefs rematch out of the Sunday-night time slot.

Raiders To Place Several Defenders On Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 18th, 2020 at 4:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:09pm: The following Raiders landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list: Johnathan Abram, Maliek Collins, Johnathan Hankins, Arden Key, cornerback Isaiah Johnson and defensive tackle Kendal Vickers. While this comes in under the rumored eight-starter number, five Raiders defensive first-stringers are currently sidelined — when Ferrell and Joyner are included.

3:06pm: The Raiders already prepared for a game without their first-string offensive line. They will face another difficult task ahead of their Week 11 rematch with the Chiefs.

At least eight members of the Raiders’ starting defense will land on their reserve/COVID-19 list, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Some of Las Vegas’ non-starter contributors on defense will also surface on the COVID list soon.

These players qualify as high-risk close contacts, and while Rapoport and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero note they are not ruled out of Sunday night’s game (Twitter link), this certainly will bring another challenge for a team accustomed to dealing with them on the coronavirus front.

This news comes after the Raiders placed Clelin Ferrell and Lamarcus Joyner on their coronavirus list. The former tested positive for COVID-19, Rapoport tweets. With two starters already on the list — and Ferrell set to miss the team’s Week 11 game — Wednesday’s news would cover almost every other starting defender. The latest slew of players set to appear on Vegas’ COVID list are indeed close Ferrell contacts, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets.

Players who land on the virus list must isolate for five days. That timetable starts not at the point they land on the list but dates back to the individuals’ last contact with someone who contracted the virus. The Raiders are currently down right tackle Trent Brown due to COVID-19 and have lost a 2021 draft choice — and more than $1MM in total this season — because of failure to comply with the NFL’s COVID protocols.

Ahead of their Week 7 game against the Buccaneers, the Raiders practiced without Brown and the rest of their starting offensive line because of the group qualifying as high-risk close contacts of the mammoth tackle. The rest of the Raiders’ O-line returned to face the Bucs, which was moved from Sunday night to Sunday afternoon. With more Raiders out of practice because of the virus a month later, it would not be surprising if the NFL removes this game from the Sunday-night time slot as well to create flexibility in the event a postponement is necessary.

Raiders Rework Johnathan Hankins’ Deal

December 24th, 2019 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders converted the $1.75MM roster bonus due to defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins this offseason into a signing bonus, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The adjustment prorates his bonus over the next two years and indicates that he’ll be a part of the team’s plans for 2020 and beyond.

Hankins has turned in a solid 2019 with starts in all 15 of his games for the Raiders. With one game to go, he’s got 48 tackles and one sack on his stat sheet, including 30 solo tackles – tying him for 21st among all NFL interior defensive linemen.

Hankins joined the Raiders on a two-year, $8.5MM deal prior to the 2019 season. He’s slated to earn a $3.75MM base salary next year before reaching the open market, but the Raiders won’t let him get away if he keeps up the good work. Hankins, 28 in March, could be in line for an extension this offseason.

Before that, Hankins will round out the 2019 regular season in a Week 17 matchup against the Broncos. Hankins & Co. will be playing for more than pride – with a win, and lots of luck elsewhere, they could sneak into the playoffs.

Raiders To Re-Sign DT Johnathan Hankins

March 10th, 2019 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

This will not win the Raiders’ weekend news cycle, but Johnathan Hankins agreed to terms to stay in the Bay Area. Hankins will stay with the Raiders on a two-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Hankins was scheduled to be a free agent for the third time in three offseasons, and his most recent stay on the market was extensive. Following a release from the Colts after one season, Hankins did not agree to terms elsewhere until September.

In 2017, he lingered in free agency after the first wave but signed a $9MM-AAV Colts deal. He will eschew another stay on the market.

Oakland initially inked Hankins to a one-year pact after Week 1 of last season. The parties will now work together again in 2019, with Hankins likely in line to stay a first-unit player under Paul Guenther. The second-year Oakland DC wanted the mammoth lineman back, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter).

Hankins started 14 games for the Raiders last season, doing so following his 2017 work as a Colts starter and three-year run as a Giants first-stringer. Despite going into his seventh season, Hankins is only set to turn 27 this offseason. He graded out as one of the league’s best interior defenders as a Colt, and although Pro Football Focus did not view his 2018 work with the Raiders in the same light (No. 76 out of 112 full-time interior defenders), the Raiders will use some of their extensive cap space to retain him.

The former second-round pick will now have a full offseason to work in Guenther’s system, a 4-3 look like he played with the Giants, this year.

AFC Notes: Jets, Johnson, Patriots, Michel, Cannon Raiders, Hankins

September 15th, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

When Jets owner Woody Johnson accepted the role as ambassador to the U.K., he left the team under the leadership of his brother Christopher. Given the relative success and cultural improvements the organization has seen under Christopher’s watch, there’s been a lot of speculation about what will happen when Woody returns from his political appointment.

Christopher himself is being quite open about the fact that he wants to stay on with the Jets, saying “no question, I’m hoping to have a larger role” even after his brother returns according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). He added that he thinks Woody will be receptive to it, saying “I think he’d welcome that. I know that he would. I think that I have a new perspective at this point that would be valuable for the franchise.” Whatever happens, it’ll be interesting to watch it unfold as Christopher is reportedly well liked by the players.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

It looks like Sony Michel could be making his NFL debut this week. The first round pick of the Patriots missed most of the offseason and Week 1 due to a knee ailment, but has “made a lot of progress this week” and “the progress has been encouraging” for his Week 1 prospects according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Speaking of Patriots injuries, starting left tackle Marcus Cannon is looking unlikely to play and the team has “prepared LaAdrian Waddle this week to start” according to Howe (Twitter link). It’d be a big blow to the Patriots’ offensive line against Jacksonville’s dominant defensive front.
The details are in for the Raiders’ two recent defensive tackle signings. Johnathan Hankins will get $2MM for the season and Clinton McDonald will get $1.75MM according to Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Pelissero notes that almost every other recent veteran signing has been for the veterans minimum.

Johnathan Hankins Signs With Raiders

September 12th, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

It turns out this will be a two-defensive tackle-addition day for the Raiders. Shortly after Clinton McDonald became a Raider, Johnathan Hankins has agreed to do so as well.

Oakland will add Hankins on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). This ends Hankins’ oddly lengthy stay in free agency.

The 26-year-old defensive tackle spent last season with the Colts and delivered a strong season. However, the rebuilding team cut him after only one season. He then remained a free agent for six months. Hankins has been a starter for four seasons and entered the 2017 free agency market as one of the top defenders available. He entered Wednesday as a top-tier UFA, despite remaining on the market in September.

The Raiders are dealing with injuries to Justin Ellis and P.J. Hall, the former looking set to miss games because of a foot injury. Hankins and McDonald will at worst add depth, with the former likely set to push for a starting job. The former Giants second-round pick started for Big Blue from 2014-16, and after a season in Indianapolis’ 3-4 defense, he’ll return to a role as a 4-3 defensive lineman.

Hankins toured the AFC extensively this offseason, meeting with the Jets, Browns and Chargers before trekking to Oakland on Wednesday. He said he’d been talking to teams about fits during the summer; it’s possible the Raiders were one of them, even though they weren’t mentioned as a suitor. The Gruden 2.0-era Silver and Black have signed numerous free agents, and this is one of the highest-profile gets.

DT Johnathan Hankins To Visit Raiders

September 12th, 2018 at 9:03am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Johnathan Hankins‘ longer than expected free agency could finally be drawing to a close. The veteran defensive tackle will visit the Raiders today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).

Schefter notes that the team “want[s] to sign him”, so it sounds like there’s a good chance this happens. Hankins signed a three-year $27MM deal with the Colts before the 2017 season, and despite high Pro Football Focus grades, was let go this past March after just one year.

He was expected to be hotly pursued after his release, but much of a market never materialized. He went on a few visits, most recently with the Chargers, but never signed a deal. It’s possible that he’s been holding out for better offers and simply never received the type of money he was looking for, so it will be interesting to see what the terms of his deal are with the Raiders, assuming he signs in Oakland.

Hankins, who’s still only 26, came into the league as a second round pick of the Giants in 2013. He had seven sacks in 2014 but is mostly a run-stuffing defensive tackle. The Raiders’ defensive front was a major weakness in their Week 1 loss to the Rams, so it makes since why they’re looking to bring in Hankins.