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Stefen Wisniewski

Raiders Notes: Wisniewski, Davis, Stadium

March 6th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look at the Raiders..

  • Not only are the Raiders letting standout center Stefen Wisniewski test the free agent market, but Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) hears that he’s not coming back. Oakland will now look for a new center to replace the 26-year-old. PFR’s Luke Adams suggested earlier this offseason that Wisniewski could land a deal worth between $5-7MM annually.
  • Raiders owner Mark Davis sat down with Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News for a lengthy, wide-ranging chat. Davis explained that he and Chargers owner Dean Spanos started talking about getting together on the Carson project six weeks ago. Davis is familiar with the site from past suggestions and added that it’s a 50-50 proposal. He also disclosed that he has met with Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff “a couple times” recently to discuss a possible shared space in Oakland, though it’d be a tough thing to pull off logistically.
  • In a widely expected move, the Joint Powers Authority approved a short-term lease renewal for the Raiders to remain as tenants at the Oakland O.co Coliseum, as the staff at NBCBayArea.com writes. The lease will keep the Raiders as tenants through the 2015/16 season. The team will pay $400K in December 2015 with an additional fee for use of the training facility in Alameda.

NFC West Notes: Williams, Cards, 49ers

March 6th, 2015 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent cornerback Cary Williams visited the Seahawks yesterday, and was “blown away,” according to agent Harold Lewis. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) quotes Williams’ agent as saying the former Eagles was “very impressed” with Seattle’s pitch, though the corner will still continue on with his other visits, including the Jets and Titans.

As we wait to see where Williams land, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the NFC West….

  • Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reported earlier today that he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Falcons and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon reach an agreement on a new deal soon. However, if the two sides can’t finalize anything, expect the Cardinals to be waiting with their arms “wide open,” tweets McClure.
  • Besides Weatherspoon, Stefen Wisniewski and A.Q. Shipley are a couple players expected to draw interest from the Cardinals, according to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (via Twitter). The Cards are looking for potential upgrades on the interior offensive line, and both Wisniewski and Shipley look poised to become unrestricted free agents.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap attempts to make sense of the motives for the 49ers and Aldon Smith, following reports of Smith’s contract restructure.

East Notes: Herremans, Clay, Orakpo

February 26th, 2015 at 8:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Todd Herremans has not been officially released by the Eagles yet and he cannot start talking to other teams until that happens, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The move needs to show up on the league’s personnel notice before Herremans is allowed to chat with other clubs. Herremans, 32, has been with the Eagles since the club selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 draft. The Eagles could opt to hand Herremans’ job over to backups Allen Barbre or Matt Tobin but may look at Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

Wisniewski started all 16 games for the Raiders in each of his four years, with the last 48 games coming at center. The son of former Raiders great Steve Wisniewski opened his career with 16 starts at left guard, increasing his versatility. Stefen Wisnewski is a cheaper alternative to signing Mike Iupati or Orlando Franklin, although perhaps not too much cheaper. He ranks 32nd on Pro Football Focus’ top 75 free agents.

In other news across the league’s eastern divisions …

  • The Eagles are also expected to pursue free agent corner Byron Maxwell, and Phillymag.com’s Sheil Kapadia examines why they should with a film-based analysis. Maxwell was the fourth Legion of Boom member the past 1 1/2 seasons, starting in two Super Bowls, and served as an effective deterrent as teams attacked the Seahawks defense’s right flank. At 27, Maxwell is one of the market’s top corners.
  • League insiders tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that if the Dolphins can strike a deal with pending free agent Charles Clay in the coming weeks, it probably decreases the likelihood that wide receiver Mike Wallace remains. Top exec Mike Tannenbaum has made it known that he wants to retain the tight end.
  • Washington met with Brian Orakpo‘s agent at last week’s scouting combine and expressed interest in re-signing him, but there’s a long way to go between the two sides, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. In an extended look at Orakpo’s free agency, Keim notes that many people around the league don’t expect Orakpo to return to D.C.
  • Washington has hired Dave Ragone as their offensive quality control coach, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com tweets. Ragone served as the Titans’ wide receiver coach from 2011-12 and the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2013.

Zach Links contributed to this report

Raiders Notes: Rogers, Brown, Branch

February 18th, 2015 at 6:09pm CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie sat down with reporters for a 30 minute chat. He told the press on hand, including Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter) that the Raiders will let both Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown hit the open market as they look to go younger at cornerback. Here are some of the highlights from McKenzie’s chat..

  • Safety Tyvon Branch has an uncertain future with the Raiders. McKenzie says that he plans to speak with his agent soon to discuss different possibilities, Bair tweets. Branch, under contract through 2017, is due a $1MM roster bonus in March. He has missed almost two entire years thanks to injury.
  • Even with a starter’s salary, McKenzie said it isn’t out of the question for Matt Schaub to return as a backup, Jerry McDonald of The Oakland Tribune tweets. Schaub is scheduled to earn a $5.5MM base salary and Derek Carr in place as the team’s starter. It seems likely that he could get let go if he was unwilling to restructure.
  • Talks are ongoing with center Stefen Wisniewski but McKenzie wouldn’t make promises either way, Williamson tweets.
  • Coach Jack Del Rio told reporters that Austin Howard, who struggled at guard in 2014, will compete with third-year player Menelik Watson at right tackle, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. That could mean that Oakland will be shopping for a guard this offseason.
  • In no particular order, it seems like McKenzie will be looking at running back, wide receiver, guard, defensive end, defensive tackle, and middle linebacker, Williamson tweets.
  • The GM said that the Raiders could sign multiple starter quality players, Williamson tweets.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Revis, Raiders, Jags

January 3rd, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers have opened up their mailbags and are answering questions from readers. Let’s check out some interesting whispers from the AFC…

  • Adam Teicher wonders if Alex Smith‘s tendency to be a checkdown quarterback may hurt the Chiefs in their pursuit of free agent wideouts. The writer cites the team’s pursuit of Emmanuel Sanders last offseason, who was originally expected to sign with Kansas City.
  • Speaking of the Chiefs and wide receivers, Teicher believes the organization will part ways with veteran Dwayne Bowe if the sides can’t agree on a new contract.
  • If cornerback Darrelle Revis doesn’t end up sticking around with the Patriots, Rich Cimini basically guarantees that the Pro Bowler will eventually reunite with Rex Ryan.
  • The Raiders and free agent center Stefen Wisniewski have discussed a new deal but are not close to an agreement, writes Bill Williamson. The former second-round pick has expressed interest in staying in Oakland, but the writer believes the lineman could ultimately test free agency.
  • As long as the Broncos don’t place the franchise tag on tight end Julius Thomas, Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars “have a chance” at signing the offensive weapon.

AFC West Notes: Alex Smith, Manning, Raiders

December 26th, 2014 at 9:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is expected to be sidelined for approximately six weeks due to a lacerated spleen, the team announced today. The good news is that in addition to not requiring surgery, Smith won’t suffer any long-term effects due to the injury. However, if the Chiefs make the playoffs (they’ll need to win on Sunday, and hope both the Ravens and Texans lose), Smith won’t be healthy enough to play until the Super Bowl, if at all. Backup QB Chase Daniel will take over the signal-calling reins in the meantime; as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap notes (Twitter link), Daniel and Smith have similar cap figures this season, with Daniel counting $3.4MM to Smith’s $4.6MM. Daniel, 28, signed a three-year, $10MM deal with Kansas City prior to the 2013 season. Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said that he wants to return in 2015 and, to the surprise of no one, coach John Fox said that he wants Manning back too, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. “I would say…maybe the top [quarterback] of all time, I’d say there’s a pretty good likelihood [that we want him to return],” Fox said.
  • With Manning in the fold for 2015, Broncos backup Brock Osweiler will probably see his four-year deal expire after next season without getting an opportunity to play a whole lot, writes Mike Klis of The Denver Post. “When I was drafted here, I knew I was brought in to sit on the bench and learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever played this game,” Osweiler said. “I also knew that his contract was one year longer than mine. We understood that.”
  • Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski, an impending free agent, says the club has made him a few contract offers, but “nothing he was looking for,” according to Josh Dubnow of the Associated Press (via Twitter). The fourth-year offensive lineman is counting just $1.315MM against the cap this season, the final year of his rookie deal. Wisniewski isn’t a star, but he’s a solid player, rating as the 15th-best center in the league per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so it’s a little surprising that Oakland, who has the most cap 2015 cap space ($51MM)+ of any team, hasn’t made a more serious effort to retain him.

Zach Links contributed to this post.