Raiders Sign CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
After working him out earlier today, the Raiders have signed veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Oakland has added considerable depth to its cornerback room this offseason, but it’s difficult to argue the club has anything close to a No. 1 corner on its roster. Rodgers-Cromartie isn’t viewed in that light, either, but he will give the Raiders another option in the slot. Oakland ranked just 30th in pass defense DVOA in 2017, per Football Outsiders, and performed poorly against opposing slot receivers, finishing 29th in DVOA against inside options.
Currently, 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley and free agent acquisition Rashaan Melvin are projected to start for Oakland at outside corner. DRC will now enter a battle to start in the slot, where he’ll be competing with Daryl Worley, Leon Hall, Nick Nelson, and others for playing time. As Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets, the Raiders will likely keep six cornerbacks on their roster, especially because Worley is likely facing a league-imposed suspension.
In 2017, Rodgers-Cromartie appeared in 15 games (six starts) for the Giants, managing 31 tackles, a half-sack, and one pass defensed while grading as the NFL’s No. 58 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. On 25 targets, DRC allowed 7.2 yards per pass, more than double his 2016 average of 3.5.
Raiders Work Out DRC
The Raiders worked out free agent corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on Wednesday, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Previous reports had indicated DRC earlier this month, but he’d actually only spoken with Oakland.
Rodgers-Cromartie has drawn plenty of interest this offseason after being released by the Giants in March. The Redskins were his first free agent visit, and reportedly reached out to him last week prior to cutting slot corner Orlando Scandrick. DRC has also worked out for the Seahawks while the Chargers have reportedly eyed the 32-year-old defensive back.
The Raiders brought in plenty of new faces at the corner position this offseason, adding veterans such as Rashaan Melvin, Daryl Worley, Shareece Wright, and Leon Hall, and also drafted Nick Nelson in the fourth round. Melvin is projected to start opposite 2017 first-rounder Gareon Conley, but DRC could give Oakland another option in the slot.
In 2017, Rodgers-Cromartie appeared in 15 games (six starts) for the Giants, managing 31 tackles, a half-sack, and one pass defensed while grading as the NFL’s No. 58 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. On 25 targets, DRC allowed 7.2 yards per pass, more than double his 2016 average of 3.5.
Jets Express Interest In Khalil Mack
The Jets reached out to the Raiders to express their interest in trading for Khalil Mack, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears. Naturally, the Jets aren’t the only team to ask about Mack – Mehta hears that more than a dozen teams have called, and several of those clubs have reached out multiple times. 
The Jets have yet to make an offer, but it’s clear that they are being aggressive in their mission to address their pass rush. Right now, the Jets’ pass rush is arguably their biggest weakness, and Mack is one of the very best in that department.
So far, the Raiders have brushed off the army of suitors. However, as Mack’s holdout nears the 30-day mark, and the season fast approaches, nothing can be ruled out.
The Jets been in the league-wide cellar for sacks in each of the past two seasons, which explains their interest in Mack and Dante Fowler Jr. of the Jaguars. Even head coach Todd Bowles admits that it’s an area that can be improved on.
“Well, we don’t have the name guy,” Bowles said. “We don’t have the Lawrence Taylor, so to speak, but we have guys that work hard and are very tough at the point of attack. You don’t need a name guy. You just need a guy with production. And the production will make the name. Disrupting the quarterback is the big thing as well as setting the edge. We have certain guys that can do a lot of things right now. We’re mixing and matching to get a feel for what guys can and can’t do right now.”
Raiders' Gruden Denies $100MM Deal
Iloka wasn’t a fit for the 2018 Bengals, but there are plenty of other teams who are interested in his services. He’s already on the radar of the Raiders and Cowboys, and it stands to reason that other teams will get on the horn with him in the coming days.
- It was widely reported that Jon Gruden‘s deal with the Raiders will pay him a guaranteed $100MM over ten years, but Gruden says that’s not true (via Mike Florio of PFT). The truth may be somewhere in between. It’s believed that Gruden’s $100MM is not fully guaranteed, Florio hears. The structure of the contract is believed to be more along the lines of $25MM over the first five years, and $75MM over the final five years. If that’s the setup of the deal, then it’s possible that the final five years are not fully guaranteed or even largely guaranteed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Kyle Bosch
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: T Leon Johnson
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Bryce Jones
- Waived/injured: CB Josh Thornton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Nick DeLuca
- Placed on injured reserve: S Don Carey
- Waived/left squad: LB Brooks Ellis
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: C Jacob Judd
- Claimed off waivers: RB Luke McNitt
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: WR Josh Huff
- Waived/injured: S Rickey Jefferson
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Jonah Trinnaman
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers: CB Antwuan Davis (Lions)
- Waived/injured: CB Tevin Mitchel
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from injured reserve: S Terrell Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Matt Weiser
- Waived/injured: TE Colin Jeter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Jeff Knox, LB Nyles Morgan, LB Deontae Skinner
- Waived: LB Brandon Chubb, LB Davond Dade, OL Matthew Diaz
Raiders Eyeing S George Iloka
The market for George Iloka is starting to take shape. The Raiders plan to make a run at the safety, Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal tweets. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Considering George Iloka]
Iloka spent six seasons playing under defensive coordinator Paul Guenther while with the Bengals, so he would be a natural fit for Oakland. Iloka could easily step into a starting role with the Raiders, but Gehlken cautions that finances will play a role in his fit with the team.
The Bengals stunned the league when they released Iloka on Sunday, and teams – including the Cowboys – are already considering the 28-year-old defender.
For now, the Raiders project to start fellow ex-Bengal Reggie Nelson at free safety and 2016 first-round pick Karl Joseph at strong safety. If signed, Iloka could take over for Joseph and give Guenther a solid 1-2 in the middle of the secondary.
Latest On Khalil Mack
The Raiders’ situation with Khalil Mack continues to feature no movement. There is no end in sight, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, adding the 2016 defensive player of the year will not report in time for Oakland’s second preseason game. Reggie McKenzie previously said he does not expect the superstar defensive end to show up without an extension, so this isn’t unexpected. Mack will incur a fine of $814K by not being with the Raiders for their second preseason tilt, bringing his fine total up to $1.628MM, per Schefter.
Jon Gruden, meanwhile, insists the Raiders are trying to bring Mack back as soon as possible and called the fifth-year Raider “the best player coming off the edge in football.”
- Whatever the Rams end up paying Aaron Donald, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com feels that gives the Raiders a price point. But he expects a Mack extension to come in slightly below what Donald ends up earning. With edge rushers on average earning more than their inside counterparts, it remains to be seen if Mack would accept a deal that doesn’t make him the NFL’s highest-paid defender.
Details On Penn's Deal
- Donald Penn‘s new deal with the Raiders also includes a pay cut in 2019, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The tackle is now due $4.6MM this year and $8.35MM next year, down from $8.35M and $10.35M, respectively. However, he earn back $4.5MM in incentives.
Raiders Place Ahtyba Rubin On IR
The Raiders have placed defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin on injured reserve. Rubin suffered a torn biceps during last week’s joint practice with the Lions, as Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. 
Rubin was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $12MM deal with the Seahawks in 2017. Instead, he was cut in early September. The Broncos signed him later on that month, but he was cut loose after dressing for two games. In October, he hooked on with the Falcons and went on to appear in ten games as a reserve. In June, the Raiders inked him to a one-year deal.
In his first Seahawks season (2015), Rubin amassed 36 tackles, two sacks, and finished fourth among the team’s defensive linemen in snaps. In 2016, he once again had a perfect attendance record in the regular season as he racked up 39 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. However, he wasn’t quite living up to the standards of his deal in Seattle. Then, in his ten games for the Falcons last year, Rubin amassed 15 total tackles and zero sacks.
The Raiders claimed defensive lineman Gabe Wright off waivers from the Dolphins this week, so he’ll now compete for a spot behind Justin Ellis, Eddie Vanderdoes, and others.
Raiders Notes: Penn, Bryant, Rubin
- The details are in on Donald Penn‘s contract restructuring with the Raiders. His cap number in 2018 has been reduced to $4.975MM (down from $8.38MM0, and he’ll get $2.75MM in extra guaranteed money on his deal for 2019, a source told Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
- The reason for Martavis Bryant‘s absence from the last couple of Raiders practices is migraines, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tafur adds that migraines have “plagued him for years.”
- The Raiders placed veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin on injured reserve with a biceps tear, according to Michael Gehlken of Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). To make up for the loss of Rubin, the team claimed defensive tackle Gabe Wright off waivers today.