Mike Mayock On Richie Incognito Signing
On his first day as a Raider, Richie Incognito worked with the team’s first-string offensive line. The Raiders have a need at left guard, after trading Kelechi Osemele for a minimal return. The Raiders have picked a controversial player to potentially replace him, but they are not certain a suspension is in the works.
“There’s a chance there could be league discipline,” Mike Mayock said, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Scott Bair. “We don’t know what it will be, but it’s a one-year minimum prove-it deal, and we feel that he’s incentivized properly to stay straight. We can’t control what the NFL will do.”
As far as the contradiction between the Raiders’ prioritizing high-character players in Mayock’s first draft with the team and subsequently signing Incognito, the first-year GM said the Raiders have spoken with many about signing the embattled 35-year-old blocker. Ten Raiders staffers also observed the workout that landed Incognito this latest opportunity.
“It’s a fair question. Both Jon (Gruden) and I have talked a lot about foundation. We have reinforced that with our draft. At the end of the day, you can’t have all Boy Scouts,” Mayock said. “You have to do your homework in each individual case. We’ve done our homework. We’ve talked to an awful lot of people. We talked to Richie and told him what we expect on and off the field and we’ll expect him to adhere to that. … The infrastructure will be here for him to use.”
Days after his release from the Bills last year, Florida cops placed Incognito in a mental hospital after he hurled weights at a gym and told officers that the government is spying on him. Incognito claimed that he drew interest even after that event, but as far as we know, the Raiders were the only team to show any interest in him this year. Incognito pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct stemming from his August 2018 arrest for an incident at an Arizona funeral home. The turbulent 2018 points to a likely 2019 suspension.
Prior to the bullying scandal that led to his exit from Miami and a season (2014) out of football, Incognito had a divisive reputation with the Rams. They released him midway through the 2009 season. He became an high-level guard with the Bills, making the Pro Bowl in each of his three Buffalo seasons before missing another full season in 2018.
He will nevertheless receive another chance. The Raiders had a glaring need at left guard, with Denzelle Good previously penciled in as the starter there.
“We have done a one-year, prove-it deal with him and that means both on and off the field,” Mayock said. “There are some expectations he has to meet in both areas. He turns 36 in July. We think he’s going to be a good football player and allow himself to compete for the left guard job.”
Raiders To Sign Richie Incognito
The Raiders have agreed to sign offensive lineman Richie Incognito, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year, minimum salary deal for the controversial veteran as he makes his return to the NFL, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter) adds. 
There has been longstanding mutual interest between the Raiders and Incognito, but the team debated the signing internally because of the suspension that is likely coming down the pike. Ultimately, they didn’t see much risk in adding Incognito on a cheap deal that they can easily shed if things don’t work out.
The former Rams, Bills and Dolphins guard has a checkered past, but he’s also a proven commodity on the field. In 2017, Incognito graded out as the 12th best guard in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He ranked seventh amongst all guards in 2016 and second in ’15, making him the Bills’ top-rated offensive lineman in that three year period. He also earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod in 2017, giving him four in total.
Last year, Incognito agreed to a pay cut with the Bills only to “retire” for a short time and force his release from Buffalo. Days after his release, Florida cops placed Incognito in a mental hospital after he hurled weights at a gym and told officers that the government is spying on him. Incognito claimed that he drew interest even after that event, but as far as we know, the Raiders were the only team to show any interest in him this year.
On the plus side, Incognito is reportedly feeling well, both mentally and physically. If that’s the case, Incognito could factor into the Raiders’ starting left guard competition following the trade of Kelechi Osemele to the Jets. The Raiders say that Gabe Jackson will remain on the right side, which currently leaves Denzelle Good as the leader in the clubhouse at LG.
Raiders Make More New Staff Additions
- The Jon Gruden–Mike Mayock regime reshuffled their front office and scouting staff recently. The roles of recently hired staffers Dwayne Joseph, DuJuan Daniels and Walter Juliff are now known. Daniels, who joined the Raiders after a Patriots tenure, is now Mayock’s assistant director of player personnel. Joseph, who came over from the Eagles, will become the Raiders’ director of pro personnel. A former Cowboys exec, Juliff is now a senior advisor to the GM, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Scott Bair tweets. Recently with the Senior Bowl and the Bills, Jack Gilmore is now in place as Raiders scouting coordinator. The Raiders also hired recent Eagles scouting coordinator John Hill as a pro scout. Lastly, Oakland promoted Trey Scott and Teddy Atlas (not that one) to assistant player personnel director and assistant director of college scouting, respectively. Scott was one of the few staffers to help with the Raiders’ draft, after Mayock dismissed the scouts prior to draft weekend.
Raiders Release QB Landry Jones
The Raiders released quarterback Landry Jones, according to a team announcement. The move will make room for tight end Erik Swoope, who agreed to sign with the club this week. 
Jones signed with the Raiders in March with hopes of finding a spot on the depth chart behind starter Derek Carr and backup Mike Glennon. Apparently, the Raiders prefer Nathan Peterman to Jones, who was once viewed as one of the league’s best No. 2 QBs.
The Steelers dropped Jones last September after he spent five seasons as Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup. He’ll likely latch on somewhere else, but probably won’t get much in the way of financial guarantees.
Raiders Sign TE Erik Swoope
Erik Swoope has made his decision. The free agent tight end has signed a one-year deal with the Raiders, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). We learned earlier today that Swoope had auditioned for the Raiders, Redskins, and Buccaneers.
Following a standout basketball career at Miami (FL), Swoope switched his focus to football following his senior season. The six-foot-five, 257-pound tight end ultimately joined the Colts as an undrafted free agent, and he proceeded to spend the next five seasons with the organization.
Swoope barely saw the field during his first two seasons in the NFL, but he eventually appeared in a career-high 16 games in 2016. The 27-year-old missed the 2017 campaign after undergoing knee surgery, but he returned and appeared in seven games (two starts) this past season. Swoope finished the campaign having hauled in eight receptions for 87 yards and three touchdowns.
The Raiders moved on from Lee Smith earlier this month, opening a spot on their tight ends depth chart. Free-agent addition Luke Willson is expected to be the team’s starter, but Swoope will have a chance to compete with Derek Carrier and rookie Foster Moreau for backup snaps.
Raiders Work Out TE Erik Swoope
Former Colts and Saints tight end Erik Swoope will work out for the Raiders on Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Swoope also worked out for the Redskins and Buccaneers in the past few days and Rapoport expects him to sign somewhere soon. 
Swoope originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in March of 2014. He made his first real impact in 2016, when he caught 15 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. After losing his 2017 season to a knee issue, he returned in 2018 to appear in seven games and catch eight passes for 87 yards and three scores. The Colts jockeyed him on and off the roster last year, so Swoope is probably hoping for more in the way of stability on his next deal.
The Raiders are on the lookout for tight end depth after releasing blocking specialist Lee Smith earlier this month. Currently, the Raiders’ tight end group is headlined by recent addition Luke Willson, blocker Derek Carrier, and fourth-round rookie Foster Moreau.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Colts, Titans
When Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen was still on the board at No. 4 in the NFL Draft, the Raiders seemed like a solid landing spot after the team finished with just 13 sacks in 2018. Oakland, however, never viewed the pass rusher in play, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur writes.
“I heard that the Raiders weren’t that impressed. I reported pretty early on he wasn’t in play for them at No. 4. I would never question a player’s toughness but there were concerns that he got pushed around a little on some plays at Kentucky and he may not have had enough dog in him for Gruden and Guenther’s liking.”
Oakland, of course, decided to go another way with the pick, surprising many when they tabbed Clemson’s defensive end Clelin Ferrell. Allen, the reigning Bednarik and Nagurski Award winner projected by many to go as high as No. 3, fell a little further and wound up with Jacksonville at No. 7.
While Allen joins a loaded defense in the Jaguars, Ferrell will be looking to fill the void left by All-Pro defensive end Khalil Mack, who recorded just a half-sack fewer than the entire Oakland squad in 2018.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Broncos and Chris Harris have made progress on a potential short-term deal. Though they could give Harris another year, one possibility is to just increase his salary this season with money, not incentives, and let him leave in free agency and the end of the year, ABC 7’s Troy Renck tweets. Harris, of course, is entering the final year of his deal and, in April, requested to either get a new deal or be traded.
- Colts wide receiver Deon Cain is expected to be a full-go for training camp, the Indianapolis Star’s Zak Keefer tweets. A sixth-round selection in 2018, Cain tore his ACL in the preseason opener and was sidelined for the entire season. Cain generated plenty of buzz before the injury and could add another weapon to an already steady Indy attack.
- Back to the Raiders, the team has added several noted scouts to its organization, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes. Among those to make the trek to the Bay Area include the Patriots’ Dujuan Daniels, the Eagles’ Dwayne Joseph, and the Cowboys’ Walt Juliff and Jim Abrams.
- The Titans also made some staff changes, Paul Kuharsky tweets. Brandon Taylor moved from national scout to pro scout, Mike Boni was elevated from college scout to national scout, and Casey Callahan moved from pro scout to college scout. He also notes that scouting coordinator Tosi Kazeem no long appears to be with the franchise.
Jones Odd Man Out In Raiders QB Room?
- The Raiders will have an interesting battle for their backup quarterback job this offseason, with a few ‘big names’ in the mix. Mike Glennon, Nathan Peterman, and Landry Jones are all currently on the roster behind Derek Carr. Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes that he thinks Glennon will be the number two, Peterman has a good shot to stick as a number three, and that Jones doesn’t have much of a chance at cracking the team. Tafur writes that Jones “should hope to get a real look somewhere else come training camp,” and cracks that he’s “getting paid to tell Gruden all of Antonio Brown’s favorite plays from Pittsburgh.” Jones has been decent enough when he was forced into duty for an injured Ben Roethlisberger, but the rest of the league clearly has never thought too highly of him as he’s found it very difficult to find a home after Pittsburgh moved on to Joshua Dobbs and Mason Rudolph.
Chiefs QB E.J. Manuel Retires
Quarterback E.J. Manuel has retired from the NFL, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Manuel signed with the Chiefs this offseason, but he’ll walk away from the sport instead of continuing down that path. 
Manuel, 29, has not suited up since his 2017 season with the Raiders. Before that, the former first-round pick spent the first four years of his career with the Bills. All in all, Manuel exits the NFL with a lifetime 6-12 record, a 58.1% completion percentage, and 20 touchdowns against 16 interceptions. The Florida State product did not live up to his first-round draft billing, but he made millions playing football at a professional level.
Manuel’s retirement still leaves the Chiefs with six QBs on the offseason roster: Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, T.J. Linta, Chase Litton, John Lovett, and Kyle Shurmur.
Dylan Donahue Gets Tryouts From Raiders, Redskins
Former Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue is looking to get back into the league. The West Georgia product had tryouts with the Redskins and Raiders this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The last we heard of Donahue from an NFL perspective was last September, when the league slapped him with a 14-game suspension. Donahue was a popular sleeper pick among some in the draft community when the Jets took him in the fifth round back in 2017. He got injured a few weeks into his rookie season while blocking a punt, and missed the rest of the year.
Off-field incidents quickly then derailed his career, and the Jets cut him right before the start of last season. Donahue was arrested twice for DWI last offseason, including one incident where he was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit a bus. Given the lengthy suspension, there was no reason for any team to sign him.
He then played for the Atlanta Legends during the ill-fated 2019 AAF season. Now that he’s served his suspension he’s looking to get back on a pro roster, and he’s apparently getting some legit interest. We’ll keep you posted if his comeback picks up anymore steam.