This month will go a long way toward determining whether or not Las Vegas becomes the Raiders‘ new home. The Southern Nevada Tourism and Infrastructure Committee will meet again on Monday for further discussion on a proposed $1.45 billion stadium.
A July 28 deadline looms for the city to finalize funding plans for a future Raiders stadium, and Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets the city will meet that deadline and come up with a stadium financing arrangement, noting “a lot of” behind-the-scenes action is occurring to move this process forward.
We last heard the SNTIC and the developers’ hopes at how much public money will be used in financing this stadium remain incongruent. But with Oakland far behind Vegas in this process and Mark Davis previously pledging he’d move the Raiders to Nevada — albeit without certainty he’d receive the 24 votes necessary from his fellow owners — an potentially unprecedented opportunity exists for the city to acquire an NFL franchise.
Here’s the latest from around the league.
- An in-season extension agreement between the Giants and Jason Pierre-Paul seems unlikely, James Kratch of NJ.com writes. Pierre-Paul’s altered career arc and looming extensions for Johnathan Hankins and/or Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg could make JPP a lower priority. Of course, if the former All-Pro shows improvement in his new form, that could certainly change. Kratch writes JPP should be hesitant to sign an extension on his one-year, $10MM deal in order to reach free agency again and see what’s out there.
- Auxiliary offensive talents Jerome Felton and Marquise Goodwin are two Bills with a lot to prove come training camp, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News writes. Felton’s four-year, $9.2MM contract only translated to 291 snaps in 16 games last season as the Tyrod Taylor-led offense mostly operated out of single-back and shotgun formations. Felton resides as the league’s second-highest-paid fullback at $2.3MM AAV. He has $1.9MM in dead money on his deal, which has three years remaining. Goodwin did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic long jump team and now must play catch-up behind receivers who participated in Buffalo’s offseason program. Kolby Listenbee also brings a similar speed element to Goodwin, complicating the former Olympian’s path back to the 53-man roster.
- Another Olympian could have a future in the NFL but may decide track and field will be his occupation now. Devon Allen blazed to a clear victory in Saturday’s 110-meter hurdle final at the U.S. Olympic Trials and will head to Brazil for the Summer Games. However, the wide receiver remains on Oregon’s roster entering his junior season and told Austin Meek of The Register-Guard he plans to keep playing football for now. “I think I’m going to leave those doors open as long as I can,” Allen said. The now-21-year-old Allen caught 41 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns for the Ducks as a freshman in 2014 before tearing his ACL in the ensuing Rose Bowl. He skipped spring practice to train for the U.S. Trials but could enter the draft with momentum next spring, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes, as a speed receiver.
- The Chargers cleared a hurdle in their downtown stadium effort but remain in an uphill battle.
The Fertittas just sold the UFC for $4.2 billion. Any rumors that they kick some of that dough in and become with co-owners with Adelson?