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.
Good signing, don’t know why other teams didn’t want him. Does anyone know (not being sarcastic)?
No idea either. He was on the colts last year (colts fan) and thought it was a great signing and he truely played well as he graded out in I believe the top 20 of all interior defense men, maybe top 10 but no sure. I know they released him due to changing defensive schemes, but. That left many other teams that could have used his help.
I know his original asking price was apparently outrageous at the beginning of Free Agency/after he was cut… And I think that scared a lot of teams away and explains why he was available for so long.. I can’t imagine that’s the case now though. Solid signing by the Raiders.
This has to be the best FA signing under Gruden.
The signing of Frostee Rucker and Daryl Worley provide the proper context for your statement.
Former much?
Wanted this guy to be a Lion they could use anybody right about now
Very simple why he wasn’t signed before now. Hankins in both time he’s been a FA, has been steadfast that he want to be among highest paid interior defense lineman. The Giants wanted to resign him, but his demands of $15-17 million per year were outrageous so they let him go and drafted a cheaper replacement in 2nd round of draft. Then after Colts released him, he again wanted very high salary. No market terialized for him at that price tag. So now that the first week of season is done with and veteran contracts aren’t fully guaranteed if signed he had no choice but to do a one year ‘prove it’ contract.
But all in all a good signing by Raiders. With this they should more than make up for the loss of Mack. Ha ha, I almost made it through that last sentence before falling on the floor laughing.