Kevin Burnett - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Release Kevin Burnett

July 25th, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 3:55pm: The Raiders have officially cut Burnett with a failed physical designation, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

THURSDAY, 3:07pm: The Raiders are set to release linebacker Kevin Burnett, according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The veteran, who some projected would be a victim of a numbers crunch on the roster anyway, was not cleared medically.

Burnett started all 16 games for the Raiders last season, spending time at both Sam and Will linebacker. However, after the Raiders tabbed Buffalo’s Khalil Mack with the fifth overall pick, Burnett’s role with the club was unclear for 2014. The 31-year-old recorded 83 tackles and 2.5 sacks with an interception and four pass deflections last season. Prior to hooking on with the Raiders, Burnett spent four years with the Cowboys, two seasons with the Chargers, and two years with the Dolphins. Burnett has started a total of 64 NFL games across the last four seasons.

By releasing Burnett, the Raiders will save $3.375MM in cash and cap space.

West Notes: 49ers, Smith, Davis, Burnett

July 24th, 2014 at 8:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News doesn’t blame 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for trying to put a positive spin on things. “It’s such a positive happening, that first day,” Harbaugh said during his first session in the Levi’s Stadium auditorium. “Imagine you’re kind of in the comfort of the offseason, like being in the comfort of the womb, got plenty to eat in there, it’s warm, very cozy. And then you’re born, kind of, somewhat into the unknown. A lot of people looking at you, a lot of faces looking at you, a lot of excitement … It’s light, it’s bright, it’s noisy, it’s the crazy world of football.” It’s probably a good thing that the Niners have such a positive voice leading the charge given their contractual issues, injuries, and the Aldon Smith situation. Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC West..

It has been alleged that Smith, the 49ers most feared pass rusher, was inebriated when he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport, but he says that he has maintained sobriety since September, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Smith says he will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell in New York sometime in the “near future” to talk about his future and any possible suspension. Meanwhile, those close to Smith expect him to be suspended, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
49ers tight end Vernon Davis said that his holdout is something that is “in the past” and added that he’s not worried about his contract, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The contract discussions, he says, are between the team and his agent.
Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) is surprised the Raiders didn’t release Kevin Burnett sooner. The linebacker is 31, overpriced to be a backup, and there were concerns about how he’d take to a reserve role. The 31-year-old recorded 83 tackles and 2.5 sacks with an interception and four pass deflections last season.

Extra Points: Tannehill, Burnett, Panthers

June 7th, 2014 at 10:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are some assorted NFL notes on this Saturday evening…

The evidence says that Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill isn’t a $100MM player, but ESPN.com’s James Walker wonders how much his value will increase if Tannehill guides Miami to the playoffs. Walker adds that the team is in a good position since they can potentially push off negotiations for two years.
Having spent his first four years with the Cowboys, Kevin Burnett would be a good fit with his former team says ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez. With the Raiders drafting of Khalil Mack and the presence of Sio Moore, Burnett seems to be the odd man out in Oakland.
Even with veterans Jason Avant, Jerricho Cotchery and Tiquan Underwood, Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer says the wideouts that have stood out the most during Panthers OTAs are Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt. None of the 11 receivers on the team’s roster caught a pass with the Panthers last season.

AFC Mailbags: Raiders, Patriots, Bengals

May 24th, 2014 at 10:37pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier tonight. Let’s dive into the AFC mailbags to end this Saturday night…

If Raiders rookie Khalil Mack ultimately starts, veteran Kevin Burnett could be expendable, writes Paul Gutierrez.
Gutierrez projects that Raiders‘ seventh-round pick Travis Carrie and undrafted rookie George Atkinson III will stick around on special teams.
It wouldn’t shock Gutierrez if the Raiders add a veteran tight end to compete with Mychal Rivera and David Ausberry.
When asked if the Patriots would go after Lions tight end Joseph Fauria, Mike Reiss writes that a trade isn’t likely. Reiss says the Lions wouldn’t trade the red zone target for “anything less than a high-round pick.” Fauria is the nephew of former Patriots tight end, Christian Fauria.
After the Bengals added Jeremy Hill to Giovani Bernard and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, it’s easy to forget about former sixth-round picks Rex Burkhead and Cedric Peerman. Coley Harvey thinks there is room for all five running backs, adding that Burkhead was “redshirted last season for a reason.”