Raiders Re-Sign Sam Young
Sam Young will return to the Raiders (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). On Thursday, the two sides reached agreement on a new one-year deal, giving him a chance to slot into the team’s offensive tackle rotation.
Kolton Miller will start at left tackle with unexpected first-round pick Alex Leatherwood likely to man the right side. Young could operate as one of the first tackles off of the bench behind both players, or an insurance policy for Leatherwood if he’s still a bit green. But, based on the reviews Leatherwood has been getting out of practice, the reserve role seems more likely for Young.
“Yeah, he’s a big body,” veteran guard Richie Incognito said last week (via The Athletic). “He comes from a storied program at Alabama, and he’s done a ton of winning — a couple national championships under his belt. He’s a quiet kid … he’s a hard worker. He’s picking up on what (offensive line) coach (Tom) Cable is laying down, and I expect him to have a big year.”
Young isn’t exactly an elite tackle, but he does offer lots of experience, including eleven games (seven starts) for the Raiders last year. On the whole, he’s got 103 appearances to his credit across eleven pro seasons.
Raiders Sign TE Alex Ellis
Journeyman Alex Ellis is joining his seventh organization. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the veteran tight end is signing with the Raiders.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Tennessee has bounced around the NFL over the past four-plus years, spending time with the Titans, Jaguars, Saints, Chiefs, Eagles, and (phew) Patriots. The tight end saw time on a career-high 124 snaps with Jacksonville in 2016, a season in which he started three games.
The 28-year-old’s last appearance in a regular season game was in 2019, when he saw time in three games for Philly. He caught on with the Patriots last August but was let go before the regular season.
Ellis will be joining a crowded depth chart is Las Vegas. Behind starter Darren Waller, the team is also rostering tight ends Foster Moreau, Derek Carrier, Nick Bowers, Matt Bushman, and Carson Williams. While Ellis has more NFL experience than a handful of those players, it’s no guarantee he ends up making the roster.
Damon Arnette A Slot CB Candidate
- The Raiders might be considering shifting 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette from the outside to the slot, Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Gus Bradley‘s staff watched Ohio State film in order to best position Arnette, who could shift inside if recent addition Casey Hayward commandeers a starting job outside. Injuries and COVID-19 limited Arnette to nine games as a rookie. Pro Football Focus graded him 116th out of 121 qualified corners last season.
Trent Brown, Gabe Jackson Declined Raiders Pay Cuts
The Raiders made major changes on their offensive line this offseason, jettisoning two Pro Bowlers and their longest-tenured starter. Two or three first-year starters are expected to block for Derek Carr this season.
Prior to the Raiders separating from Rodney Hudson, Trent Brown and Gabe Jackson, the team offered the latter duo pay cuts in order to stay, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required). It is not known how substantial the proposed cuts were, but both Brown and Jackson declined the Raiders’ offers.
After reports surfaced Jackson would be cut, the Raiders found an 11th-hour trade partner and sent the seven-year guard starter to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick. That pick (No. 167) became Illinois cornerback Nate Hobbs. The Raiders dealt Brown to the Patriots for a fifth as well; Las Vegas also sent New England a seventh-rounder in that swap. Both players have since reworked their contracts.
The Raiders gave Jackson a five-year, $56MM extension in June 2017; two non-guaranteed years remained on that deal. The Seahawks and Jackson have since agreed to a three-year, $22.58MM extension, which came with $16MM in total guarantees and $10.75MM fully guaranteed.
Given a then-tackle-record four-year, $66MM deal in March 2019, Brown battled injuries and COVID-19 last season. He made the Pro Bowl in 2019, however. Signing up for a second Brown stint, the Pats have the mammoth tackle under contract at $9MM for the 2021 season. He is due for free agency again in 2022. Brown did end up agreeing to a pay cut in New England, though incentives can take the pact up to $11MM.
Las Vegas has since drafted Alex Leatherwood in Round 1; he will be projected to take over for Brown at right tackle. Richie Incognito, who did agree to return at a reduced rate, and Denzelle Good are back in the fold at guard. John Simpson, a 2020 fourth-round pick, is also set to vie for Jackson’s old right guard spot as well. Andre James, who has since signed an extension himself, may well succeed Hudson at center.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/25/21
We’ll keep tabs on today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Ross Travis
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: Kamaal Seymour
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Willie Henry
- Waived: LB Joe Bachie
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Cam Sutton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Dee Delaney
Raiders Sign First-Round OL Alex Leatherwood
Alex Leatherwood has put pen to paper. The Raiders first-round pick has signed his rookie deal, the team announced this evening.
Offensive line was one of the team’s biggest needs heading into the draft, and the Raiders made sure they secured one of the top offensive line prospects. While some pundits believe GM Mike Mayock may have reached a bit to select the Alabama product at No. 17, there’s no denying Leatherwood’s potential.
The 6-foot-5, 312-pound lineman was a standout during his four years at Alabama, winning a pair of championships and a long list of individual accolades (including unanimous first-team All-American and All-SEC nods in 2020). Leatherwood earned his high draft stock due to his performance at offensive tackle, and he’ll likely slot in at right tackle for the Raiders in 2021. Long term, there’s a chance the team uses him as an offensive guard.
The Raiders have now signed four of their seven draft picks:
Round 1: No. 17 Alex Leatherwood, OL (Alabama)
Round 2: No. 43 (from 49ers) Trevon Moehrig, S (TCU)
Round 3: No. 79 (from Cardinals) Malcolm Koonce, DE (Buffalo)
Round 3: No. 80 Divine Deablo, S (Virginia Tech)
Round 4: No. 143 (from Vikings via Jets) Tyree Gillespie, S (Missouri) (signed)
Round 5: No. 167 (from Seahawks) Nate Hobbs, CB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 7: No. 230 (from Jets via 49ers) Jimmy Morrissey, C (Pittsburgh) (signed)
Raiders Sign OL Patrick Omameh
Despite waiving Patrick Omameh during the 2020 season, the Raiders have the veteran offensive lineman back on their roster. They re-signed the well-traveled guard Monday.
Omameh initially caught on with the Raiders in September of last year, after the Saints released him. He played in six games with Las Vegas, which was down Richie Incognito following Week 2. But the team cut Omameh in December. He later caught on with the Chiefs but did not see action in any of their playoff games.
During an offseason in which the Raiders have said goodbye to multiple longtime O-line staples — Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson — they have also re-signed several blockers. Incognito, Denzelle Good and now Omameh are back in the fold after spending time in free agency.
Omameh, 31, spent the bulk of his first five seasons as a starter but did so in a few cities. The former UDFA started at least seven games for the Buccaneers, Bears, Jaguars and Giants from 2014-18. The Giants, however, cut him midway through the ’18 season. Omameh has worked as a backup over the past two years, playing with the Saints and Raiders.
He stands to compete for a depth role for a team that has Incognito, Good and 2020 draftee John Simpson set to vie for first-string guard spots.
Raiders, Dolphins Tried To Claim Geron Christian
On Friday, the Texans claimed former Washington left tackle Geron Christian. But, they weren’t the only team to submit a claim for him. Had the WFT passed, Christian would have joined the Raiders (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). The Dolphins also submitted a claim on the 2018 third-rounder.
Christian was less-than-stellar in D.C., but quality tackles are hard to come by at this stage of the offseason. He’s also on the final year of his low-cost rookie year deal, making him an affordable pickup for teams in need. That was a definite selling point for the Texans, who have spent most of their offseason inking free agents to short-term contracts.
The 6-foot-6 blocker has played in 24 games over the course of his pro career, which started as a reserve behind Trent Williams. Injuries have held Christian up along the way, including an MCL tear as a rookie. Last year, Christian saw just six games and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 60 ranked tackle in the league. On Friday, Washington brought an end to Christian’s tenure while also dropping the durable Morgan Moses.
Now, Washington has new options in rookie Samuel Cosmi and veteran Charles Leno. The Texans are well covered with Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard, Marcus Cannon, and Christian. Meanwhile, the Raiders and Dolphins will continue to search for outside protectors.
Raiders Release DL David Irving
Despite not seeing much time with the Raiders last season, David Irving generated some interest in free agency this year. But the former Cowboys regular opted to re-sign with the Raiders. That deal did not end up lasting too long.
The Raiders released Irving on Friday. This is not the first time such a transaction has occurred. Las Vegas signed Irving midway through last season but cut him on multiple occasions, shuttling him to its practice squad. With practice squads not forming until September, Irving is back in free agency.
Irving played in two games last season, logging just 45 snaps, and has suited up for just four over the past three years. Suspensions have dogged the 27-year-old D-lineman, but he has avoided any bans since his most recent reinstatement last fall. The ex-Cowboys starter worked out for the Colts and Lions this offseason as well. While more interest may develop, Irving is nearly four years removed from his last season of consequence.
The 6-foot-7 pass rusher did log seven sacks in eight games in 2017; that has likely continued to generate interest. It will be interesting to see if the former Chiefs UDFA can land with a fourth NFL team.
Las Vegas added several defensive line pieces this offseason, signing Yannick Ngakoue and using a third-round pick on fellow defensive end Malcolm Koonce. Former top-five pick Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson are also now with the Raiders. Like Irving, each has experience working at both D-end and D-tackle.
PFR Poll: Who Will Julio Jones Be Playing For In 2021?
Julio Jones remains on the trade block. We learned earlier today that the star receiver is still available, and the Falcons would like to trade the future Hall of Famer.
While Jones missed a handful of games in 2020, these trade rumors aren’t based on his production…there are few wideouts in the NFL who can compare to Jones’ consistent receiving numbers. Rather, the Falcons are shopping the veteran for financial reasons. The front office is currently sitting with around only $500K in cap space, and they still need to sign their draft class. With Jones earning an AAV around $22MM on his last extension, he’s always seemed like the likeliest cap casualty. GM Terry Fontenot even acknowledged that the team has to consider trading the seven-timer Pro Bowler.
“We are in a difficult cap situation,” Fontenot said. “That’s just the circumstance…Our administration has done an excellent job up to this point getting us in position to be able to manage the cap. Yet, we still have more work to do.
“So, when teams call about any players, we have to listen, and we have to weigh it and we have to determine what’s best for the organization, and we have to handle everything with class. Obviously, that particular player [Jones] — we hold him in high regard. He’s special…but we have to consider [listening on] any player if it’s right for the team, because we have to do what’s right for the team.”
There are some hurdles with a trade, particularly Jones $15.3MM salary for 2021. At this point of the offseason, it’s going to be tough for teams to find the cap room to afford the receiver…and, similar to the Falcons, few teams will want to renegotiate with Jones and pile money onto the later seasons of his contract. As a result, the Falcons reportedly aren’t seeking a first-round pick for the 32-year-old.
So, considering Jones’ talent and the Falcons asking price, a long list of teams have been mentioned as potential suitors for the receiver. So, that leads us to today’s question: who will Jones be playing for come Week 1 of the 2021 season? We provided a handful of candidates below.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Jones ever since the wideout hit the block, and the connection makes plenty of sense. The team hasn’t really filled the hole on their depth chart left by Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets. If the Titans want to continue their postseason momentum, pairing A.J. Brown with Jones would make for one of the best receiver tandems in the league. Plus, new Falcons head coach Arthur Smith had spent the previous decade in Tennessee, so he’d certainly have some good words about the organization if Jones tries to control his own fate.
For what it’s worth, running back Derrick Henry made it abundantly clear on Twitter today that he’d welcome the future Hall-of-Fame receiver to Tennessee.
The downside? The Titans don’t have a whole lot of cap space, so it’d be tough to fit Jones’ massive contract on their books.
Las Vegas Raiders
Jon Gruden has been hunting for a big-name wide receiver since he joined the Raiders organization. He played a role in the infamous acquisition of Antonio Brown, and they used their 2020 first-round pick on Henry Ruggs III. In other words, the head coach would undoubtedly be a supporter of a Jones acquisition. Besides Gruden’s apparent attraction to top wideouts, the team also kind of needs help at the position; their top-three options are currently Ruggs, John Brown, and Hunter Renfrow.
The Raiders still have around $10MM in cap space, so while they’d have to overcome a few financial hurdles to acquire Jones, it certainly wouldn’t be impossible.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have made headlines for revamping their offense this offseason. The team added the two top free agent tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, they acquired Trent Brown to solidify the offensive line, and they drafted Mac Jones to compete with Cam Newton at quarterback. However, the team’s wide receivers are still a bit underwhelming. The team dished out some money on Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, but neither of those players really profile as top-end receivers.
Bill Belichick has seemingly had a love-hate relationship with receiver acquisitions over the years, as he often provided Tom Brady with too many receivers or not enough receivers. The Patriots currently have a clear need for a receiver, and Jones would certainly help their quest to return to the postseason. Plus, the Patriots are currently sitting with $15MM in cap space, which would be almost enough to acquire Jones without any funny cap machinations.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are clearly all-in on this current iteration of this team, as they’ve sacrificed their first-round picks through 2023 in order to snag Trey Lance with the third-overall pick. With that in mind, giving up a handful of non-firsts for a star receiver doesn’t seem like a huge risk when the cupboard is already a bit empty.
Plus, while it remains unseen if Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center for Week 1, the 49ers could use a player of Jones’ caliber. The team hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Anquan Boldin in 2014, and Jones would provide the starting quarterback with another Pro Bowl talent alongside tight end George Kittle.
The 49ers have more than $17MM in cap space, and they could carve out even more space if they decide to move on from Jimmy G. If any suitor has the financial flexibility to add Jones, it’s San Francisco.
Atlanta Falcons
Financial ramifications aside, keeping Jones in Atlanta also makes plenty of sense. The wideout has established himself as one of the top players in franchise history, he’s been incredibly productive throughout his career, and he’s only played in fewer than 10 games twice (of course, one of those seasons came in 2020). Plus, if the Falcons have any hope of returning to the Super Bowl with Matt Ryan as their starting quarterback, a loaded offense would certainly help. Jones would just be one of the many talented targets in Atlanta, along with former first-round receiver Calvin Ridley and the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, tight end Kyle Pitts.
We could have listed at least a handful of other teams on this list: the Chargers, Ravens, Colts, and Packers have also been listed as potential suitors (by both pundits and bookies). But for the sake of a tidy poll, we’ll group each of those teams into the “other category.”
So, with all that said, who do you think Julio Jones will be playing with to begin the 2021 campaign? Vote in the accompanying poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!