Karl Joseph could be reuniting with the Raiders. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the free agent safety is visiting with the Raiders tonight. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal describes the visit as “a “weighing all options” sort of deal,” with the Raiders evaluating their options prior to the draft (Twitter link).
Joseph signed a one-year deal with the Browns last offseason, and he proceeded to have a bounce-back season for his new squad. He appeared in 14 regular season games (eight starts), compiling 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes defended, and one interception. He also came up big in the playoffs for the Browns; he recovered a botched Steelers snap for a touchdown, and he intercepted a pass by Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne. This was an improvement from his final season with the Raiders in 2019, when Joseph was limited to nine games due to a foot injury.
The Raiders selected Joseph with the 14th-overall pick in the 2016 draft, and he earned All-Rookie Team honors after starting nine games during his rookie campaign. He started 15 games in 2017, compiling a career-high 79 tackles to go along with one sack and one interception. The defensive back seemed to fall out of favor once Jon Gruden was hired, as he was limited to only 11 snaps through the first eight weeks of the 2018 campaign. He ended up starting during the second half of that season, but his fifth-year option was predictably declined during the offseason, spelling the end of his tenure with the team.
Joseph would probably have a chance to play in Las Vegas, as he’d compete with the likes of Dallin Leavitt and Jeff Heath for snaps. We heard recently that the veteran had at least one other suitor in the Steelers.
Steelers need to match whatever LV offers. Safety depth is garbage.
Preach. Not to mention I feel like they could use him in the Hybird role with Bush and help in the box and in coverage better than our current depth.
So how does this line up against those that are keeping track of the “Gruden clearing the roster of McKenzie picks” count?
Would a Karl Joseph signing count as a head scratching free agent add, another miss managed contract, inability to identify talent…… OH NO, it will be an admittance of a mistake so Karl was brought back, however it would have been cheaper to keep him from the start.
I hope the Raiders sign Joseph and he teams that hard hitting attack style with Abram…. What a duo that could be.
Joseph is a solid player. It’d be great to see him return.
The problem in LV is the leadership. Gruden is a fun personality and a great tv guy; but he’s a terrible coach and judge of personnel. Joseph never should have been let go to begin with.
I cannot argue with that.