Latest On Raiders QB Derek Carr
Derek Carr got his wish earlier tonight when the Packers traded for wideout Davante Adams. Next up: a lucrative extension. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders will now pivot to extending their quarterback. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets that an extension is coming “sooner than later.”
[RELATED: Packers Trade WR Davante Adams To Raiders]
When the Raiders hired Dave Ziegler as GM and Josh McDaniels as head coach, some were questioning whether Carr would be moved. The organization continued to say that Carr would be sticking around Las Vegas, and the Raiders’ decision to reunite their QB with his college WR all but confirms that Carr will be with the team for the foreseeable future.
Back in 2017, Carr became the first player in the NFL to average $25MM per season. Even while breaking that barrier, Carr claimed at the time that he was leaving money on the table. Pundits posit that Carr has earned near-top-tier money that could make him yet another quarterback to join the $40MM per year club, joining the likes Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Dak Prescott.
Carr’s current deal runs through the 2022 season, so the two sides will surely want to complete a deal before the offseason is over. The front office has already spent big money to extend Adams and Maxx Crosby, so Carr should see a lucrative contract before long.
Packers Trade WR Davante Adams To Raiders
Davante Adams‘ stint with the Packers has come to a sudden end. The Packers are trading the Pro Bowl wideout to the Raiders, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The Packers will receive the Raiders’ first- and second-round picks in this year’s draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Raiders are also inking Adams to a record-breaking contract. The wideout will sign a five-year, $141.25MM deal with Las Vegas, with his $28.25MM average annual salary setting a new record for the position (per Rapoport).
There were whispers that Adams could be on the move, but the return of Aaron Rodgers had many assuming that the star wide receiver would be back in Green Bay next season. Of course, there was still the matter of a contract; the Packers ended up franchising Adams when they couldn’t agree on an extension prior to the tender deadline, but the wideout later made it clear that he wouldn’t play the 2022 season on the franchise tag (one-year, $20.5MM). Adams has been pushing for a megadeal to top DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM/year contract, and per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter), the Packers were willing to meet his asking price. However, Adams ultimately wanted to play elsewhere, leading to the trade.
Whenever a potential Adams trade was brought up, the Raiders were consistently mentioned as a top suitor. This wasn’t only due to the Raiders’ need for a top-end wide receiver; it was also because of the friendship between Adams and quarterback Derek Carr, who were teammates at Fresno State. Carr said last summer that he would “welcome” a reunion with his good friend, and he acknowledged that he’d be “recruiting hard” by the time the 2022 offseason came around. Ultimately, Carr got his wish, and he’ll now be adding one of the NFL’s most dynamic receivers.
A few eyebrows were raised when it was recently reported that Adams had bought a home in the Las Vegas area, and Rapoport tweets that the receiver will actually be neighbors with his new QB. Rapoport adds that the Raiders and Packers had been working on a deal for a few days, although NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the trade was dead as recently as yesterday.
Adams had a standout career with the Packers aftre being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft. The receiver earned a pair of first-team All-Pro nods and made five-straight Pro Bowls during his time in Green Bay. After putting up some incredible numbers in recent seasons, Adams somehow took it to another level in 2021. The wideout finished the season with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards on 123 receptions. He also hauled in 11 touchdowns.
Josh McDaniels and co. were reportedly seeking a top-end receiver to pair with receiver Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller. DeSean Jackson provided a bit of a spark after joining the organization, but there was no guarantee he would stick around (plus he profiles as a lower-end WR). The team also lost a key future piece in Henry Ruggs.
While Green Bay settled their issues with their franchise QB, they now have some major question marks elsewhere on offense. The team’s receivers depth chart is currently led by Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, and the Bears signed away Equanimeous St. Brown earlier today. It will be interesting to see if the Packers are able to attract one of the few remaining FA wideouts, and Schefter confirms (on Twitter) that the team is indeed pursuing veteran receivers. And for those wondering, Rapoport tweets that Rodgers has indeed signed his new contract. In fact, Rodgers was aware that Adams was done with the Packers when he inked his new deal, so this trade won’t come as any surprise to the QB (per Rapoport).
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/16/22
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: WR Brandon Zylstra
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: LS Clark Harris
Houston Texans
- Acquired via trade (from Jets): LB Blake Cashman
- Signed: TE Scott Quessenberry
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: OL Will Richardson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: FB Jakob Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: P Jordan Berry
- Signed: TE Johnny Mundt, OL Austin Schlottmann
New York Giants
- Re-signed: LS Casey Kreiter
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Hassan Ridgeway
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Trenton Cannon
Raiders To Sign CB Anthony Averett
Not long after trading for Rock Ya-Sin, the Raiders have another new cornerback en route. They reached an agreement to add ex-Raven Anthony Averett, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
Averett started a career-high 14 games for the Ravens last season, doing so in a year in which the team lost starters Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. A former fourth-round pick, Averett boosted his value despite the Ravens’ collective step back.
The Alabama alum played 90% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps, allowing a 55% completion rate and 77.5 passer rating when targeted. Averett notched three interceptions and 11 passes defensed. Prior to 2021, Averett had started seven career games. The 6-foot cover man’s usage rate has steadily increased in each season, and he will have a chance to compete for regular work in Las Vegas.
Ya-Sin and Averett join a Vegas secondary in transition on the outside at corner. The team cut bait on 2020 first-rounder Damon Arnette and has standout Casey Hayward unsigned. Trayvon Mullen is going into a contract year. With new decision-makers taking over, the Raiders may not be done making changes at this spot.
Raiders Sign WR Mack Hollins
The Raiders are adding another special team ace. The team is adding wideout/special teamer Mack Hollins, reports Taylor Vippolis of Inside Carolina (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders To Sign RB Brandon Bolden]
Hollins appeared in every game for the Dolphins over the past two seasons, and while he was buried on the depth chart, he still managed to put up some numbers. He finished the season with 223 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, and his 15.9 yards per catch ranked first on the team.
The 28-year-old also led the Dolphins in special teams tackles, finishing with 11 overall. In total, Hollins has collected 21 tackles throughout his career.
The former fourth-round pick spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Eagles, collecting 351 yards from scrimmage in 28 games.
Raiders Cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski
The Raiders have released another defender. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter), the team has cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Bears, Kwiatkoski joined the Raiders in 2020 on a three-year, $21MM deal. The linebacker will ultimately leave behind a $5MM cap hit.
Kwiatkoski was productive during his first season with the team, collecting a career-high 81 tackles in 12 games. However, he was limited to only eight games in 2021 thanks in part to an ankle injury, and he collected only 21 tackles and one forced fumble when he did see the field.
As Tafur points out, the new Raiders front office was quick to move on from Cory Littleton, Carl Nassib, and Kwiatkoski, and the trio will ultimately account for $25.6MM in dead cap over the next two years.
Raiders To Sign RB Brandon Bolden
Brandon Bolden is teaming up with his former offensive coordinator in Las Vegas. The Raiders are signing the running back and special teamer, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
Head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler are plenty familiar with Bolden, who spent nine of his 10 professional seasons in New England. Bolden was a special teams mainstay throughout his stint with the Patriots, collecting 51 tackles and three forced fumbles. This includes a 2021 campaign where he collected a career-high 11 tackles while appearing in 63 percent of New England’s ST snaps.
The veteran also had his best season on offense this past year. After having collected only 376 yards from scrimmage between 2016 and 2019 in stints with the Patriots and Dolphins (Bolden opted out of the 2020 campaign), the running back finished 2021 with 631 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
Bolden will likely continue having a special teams role in Las Vegas, but he could easily slide into the depth chart behind Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/22
Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Bills: OL Ryan Bates
- Broncos: OLB Malik Reed
- Commanders: K Joey Slye
- 49ers: LB Azeez Al-Shaair
- Jets: K Eddy Pineiro, QB Mike White
- Rams: LB Travin Howard
- Saints: DL Shy Tuttle
Non-tendered:
- Bills: DT Justin Zimmer
- Broncos: DL DeShawn Williams
- Chiefs: CB Chris Lammons
- Giants: QB Jake Fromm
- Jets: DE Kyle Phillips, OT Greg Senat
- Raiders: CB Keisean Nixon
- Jaguars: RB Dare Ogunbowale
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Commanders: C Keith Ismael, K Brian Johnson, DE Bunmi Rotimi
Raiders To Trade Yannick Ngakoue To Colts For Rock Ya-Sin
Minutes after agreeing to terms with Chandler Jones, the Raiders are clearing out a starting spot and a salary slot for the All-Pro pass rusher. They are expected to trade Yannick Ngakoue to the Colts, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin is coming back in the deal. The Raiders and Colts have been working on this swap for the past day or so, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Las Vegas, understandably, did not pull the trigger on a deal until its Jones agreement came through. No draft picks are changing hands; this is a player-for-player swap. This trade will cost the Raiders $8MM in dead money.
The Colts will be Ngakoue’s fifth team in the past three seasons. The former Jaguars standout made his way to the Vikings, Ravens and Raiders from 2020-21, being dealt late in the summer of 2020 and then being moved before that season’s deadline. After signing with Las Vegas, Ngakoue is being traded for a third time. Ngakoue, who will turn 27 later this month, registered 10 sacks last season. The former third-round pick has 20 forced fumbles over the course of his six-year career.
This will give the Colts a veteran edge presence they lacked last season and provide DeForest Buckner with a proven outside sack artist. The Colts used first- and second-round picks on defensive ends in the 2021 draft — Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo — and will now spend some cash on the position. After the Carson Wentz trade, Indianapolis entered free agency with its usual cap-space war chest. Ngakoue is signed through the 2022 season, on a $13MM-per-year accord.
While this trade will reunite Ngakoue with Gus Bradley, the Jaguars’ head coach when Ngakoue was drafted and the Raiders’ DC when he arrived in Vegas last year, it will send Ya-Sin to a Raiders team in need at cornerback. After a bounce-back year with Bradley, Casey Hayward is a free agent. A 2019 second-round pick, Ya-Sin will come to Vegas with one year remaining on his rookie contract.
Ya-Sin started 29 games with the Colts. While the Temple product has not played at a Pro Bowl level and only has two interceptions as a pro, the Raiders will shed salary here and land a player with considerable experience. After an up-and-down start to his career, Ya-Sin finished the 2021 season with a career-best 53% completion rate allowed when targeted. Pro Football Focus assigned Ya-Sin the fifth-best man-coverage grade last season.
Raiders, Chandler Jones Agree To Deal
The Raiders will land one of the top players on this year’s market. They have agreed to terms with Chandler Jones, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The sides agreed to a three-year deal worth $52.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that the deal includes $34MM guaranteed.
This will reunite the former All-Pro with Josh McDaniels and Patrick Graham, who were both in New England during the first chapter of Jones’ career. After breaking through to the All-Pro level in Arizona, Jones will relocate to Las Vegas and join Maxx Crosby atop their edge-rushing stable.
For barely a minute, a Raiders reality with Crosby, Jones and Yannick Ngakoue existed. But the team is trading Ngakoue to the Colts. This will clear out some money for a Raiders squad that now has a Pro Bowl edge partnership. Jones bounced back after a biceps injury halted his 2020 season early; he registered 10.5 sacks in his sixth Cardinals season. Cards owner Michael Bidwill expressed a desire to re-sign Jones, who then tweeted laughing emojis after the owner’s comments. Unsurprisingly, the Cards were not closely connected with Jones during the legal tampering period.
Jones, 32, began the 2021 season as a disgruntled Cardinal, having requested a trade after voicing frustration about his contract. Several pass rushers had surpassed Jones’ 2017 extension — a $16.5MM-per-year pact — but he played out the deal. Jones is not exactly leaving the desert, with the Raiders now in Las Vegas, but his Cardinals chapter is over. He has agreed to similar terms with the Raiders. Jones appears to have missed his window to land a $20MM-plus-year-year accord, but he has still done quite well for himself during his prime.
The Raiders recently gave Crosby a $23.5MM-per-year extension. They are now fully loaded at the edge spot. Jones led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2017 — a year after the Patriots dealt him to Arizona — and posted a 19-sack slate in 2019. Making Pro Bowls with both the Pats and Cards, Jones will attempt to aid the Raiders in an AFC West suddenly flush with pass rushers. Jones, Khalil Mack and Randy Gregory are each with AFC West teams now, creating a division stacked at both quarterback and players paid to pursue QBs.