Osemele Out Against Bengals
- The Raiders have suddenly come alive and played some good games the past few weeks, upsetting the Steelers as massive underdogs last week. But they’ll be facing a tough Bengals defensive line without at least one starter on their offensive line. Left guard Kelechi Osemele has been ruled out for the game, and right guard Gabe Jackson is questionable after not practicing all week. If Jackson can’t play either it would be a disaster scenario for the Raiders, as their top reserve guard was just placed on injured reserve.
Raiders WR Martavis Bryant Banned By NFL
Raiders wide receiver Martavis Bryant has been suspended indefinitely by NFL, according to Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal (on Twitter). Bryant has been fighting a substance abuse suspension for months, but a lost appeal means that he will be out of the game until further notice. 
The Raiders have feared this news for quite a while, though team execs have been mum on the subject. It’s fair to say the Raiders regret sending a third-round pick to the Steelers for Bryant earlier this year.
The Bryant trade occurred after the Raiders moved down from No. 10 for the Cardinals’ No. 15 pick, plus third- and fifth-round selections. That third-round choice was shipped to Pittsburgh, bringing Bryant to Oakland. UCLA tackle Kolton Miller has potential and may prove to be a quality first-round selection, but the Raiders effectively threw away a Top 100 selection when they acquired Bryant.
Before the deal, Bryant spent his entire four-year career with the Steelers. His tenure was tumultuous, as he missed the entire 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 26-year-old (27 next week) showed flashes of brilliance early on, including a rookie campaign where he caught eight touchdowns, but the red flags have been long apparent.
Fritz Pollard Alliance Recommends GM Candidates
The Fritz Pollard Alliance has released its annual list of minority candidates for general manager vacancies. Much like the latest batch of recommended coaching hires, the suggested GM list is more than twice as long as last year’s. 
[RELATED: Fritz Pollard Alliance Recommends Head Coaching Candidates]
Here’s the full rundown, via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link):
- Ray Agnew (Rams)
- Joey Clinkscales (Raiders)
- Quentin Harris (Cardinals)
- Alonzo Highsmith (Browns)
- Brad Holmes (Rams)
- Champ Kelly (Bears)
- Martin Mayhew (49ers, ex-Lions GM)
- Will McClay (Cowboys)
- Jimmy Raye III (Lions)
- Jerry Reese (ex-Giants GM)
- Doug Whaley (ex-Bills GM)
- Doug Williams (Redskins)
Clinkscales, Highsmith, McClay, and Williams were all featured on last year’s list, but none of those executives landed GM jobs. The only executive from the last round of recommendations who did not carry over to this year was Ray Farmer, the former Browns GM who is currently serving as a senior consultant with the Rams.
Of the dozen suggested executives on this list, only three sat for GM interviews in the last cycle: Mayhew (Panthers), Raye (Texans), and Whaley (Packers). McClay was asked to interview for the Texans opening, but declined the opportunity and instead signed a two-year extension to stay with the Cowboys. McClay may garner consideration again this time around, but he might not be interested in leaving Dallas.
Brian Heimerdinger A Candidate For Raiders GM?
Free agent kicker Kai Forbath was impressive during his Wednesday workout with the Steelers, and Pittsburgh is “keeping him on hold” while they determine a course of action with incumbent Chris Boswell, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Boswell’s fate with the Steelers could well rest on his performance during Thursday’s practice, per Fowler. Boswell missed two field goals against the Raiders on Sunday, including one that would have tied the game as regulation expired. All told this year, Boswell has missed six field goal attempts (leaving with him a conversion percentage that ranks last in the NFL) and five extra points. According to Football Outsiders’ special teams metrics, the Steelers’ kicking game is the second-worst in the league.
- The Raiders are seeking a new general manager after firing Reggie McKenzie earlier this week, and one name that could surface during the search is Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. However, as Robinson writes, it’s unclear if the Oakland job will have any sort of allure around the NFL, especially given that most executives will see the gig as nothing short of being Jon Gruden‘s “puppet master.” Heimerdinger, for his part, is currently in his third season with New York after previously spending time with the Rams and Texans.
Raiders Want To Re-Sign TE Jared Cook
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden expressed his desire to re-sign tight end Jared Cook, who is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2018 season, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Whoever the GM is, we’ll show him some tape and show him how important Jared is,” said Gruden.
As Tafur notes, no matter whom the Raiders select to replace the recently-fired Reggie McKenzie, Gruden figures to retain either de facto or outright control of the club’s personnel. Therefore, if Gruden is highly interested in retaining Cook for 2019 and beyond, it stands to reason Oakland will be competitive with an offer to the veteran tight end.
Cook, 31, is in the midst of the best season of his NFL career, leading the Raiders in receptions (61), receiving yardage (825), and receiving touchdowns (6). Cook ranks as a top-five tight end league-wide in all three of those categories, while Pro Football Focus grades him fourth at his position. Additionally, Cook is third among NFL tight ends in Football Outsiders’ DYAR — which measures value over a replacement level player — and fourth in DVOA, which quantifies value on a per-play basis.
Despite his age, Cook should easily garner the most significant free agent tight end contract next spring. Other available options at the position are uninspiring at first glance, as free agents will include C.J. Uzomah, Jeff Heuerman, Josh Hill, Geoff Swaim, and Jesse James, among others.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/11/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Jonathan Anderson
- Signed from Seahawks’ practice squad: DT Vincent Valentine
- Placed on IR: LB Thurston Armbrister
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: CB Taron Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Trevon Young
- Placed on IR: Dominique Hatfield
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OL Cameron Hunt, OL Denver Kirkland
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: S Tyree Robinson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Tanner Hudson
- Placed on IR: LB Kevin Minter
Washington Redskins
- Signed off Texans’ practice squad: G Kyle Fuller
- Waived: C Demetrius Rhaney
Raiders Considering Leaving Oakland Early?
The lawsuit the city of Oakland filed against the Raiders on Tuesday may chase the Raiders out of town a year before they planned.
A high-ranking team official said, via Jason Cole of FanSided (Twitter link), there is “no way” the Raiders will play the 2019 season in Oakland after the lawsuit.
No lease exists for the Raiders to play at Oakland Coliseum next season, and although Mark Davis wanted the team to remain in Oakland for one more season before its 2020 Las Vegas move, the Raiders now appear to be also considering alternatives.
Five or six cities will be considered, per Cole, who adds some of those markets already have NFL teams. The Raiders have been linked to San Diego, San Antonio and Reno thus far. Interestingly, one place they will not consider playing 2019 is Las Vegas. Once believed to be holding UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium as an emergency stopgap option, the Raiders will not play there next season because the site is “not workable,” Cole tweets.
Further complicating matters, Cole adds (via Twitter) the Raiders will not share a stadium with the 49ers and are unlikely to play anywhere in northern California in ’19. It’s unknown what the other markets would be, but ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez reported Reno, Nev., may be an option (Twitter link). The team is considering making the northern Nevada city its future training camp site.
As for where the Raiders may play next, Cole tweets a few previously unmentioned contenders will be Portland, St. Louis, Seattle and Phoenix. Some of this depends on if the Raiders opt to keep their facility in Oakland and travel to games, but Cole adds (via Twitter) a strong chance now exists the team packs up after this season and moves to its temporary city.
The 49ers showed interest in taking the Raiders in while they await their Vegas dome’s construction, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter), but Davis did not seriously entertain that possibility.
City Of Oakland Sues Raiders, NFL
Set to lose the Raiders for a second time, the city of Oakland filed a lawsuit against the departing team, the NFL and the 31 other franchises on Tuesday.
The city had threatened this action for months, and it could impact where the Raiders play in 2019. Mark Davis‘ preference is for the Raiders to play one more season in Oakland before their Las Vegas stadium is ready, even with a a lawsuit threat. He has not commented on the lawsuit coming to fruition.
“The Raiders’ illegal move lines the pockets of NFL owners and sticks Oakland, its residents, taxpayers and dedicated fans with the bill,” Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker said in a lawsuit that refers to the NFL as “a cartel.” “The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold the defendants accountable and help to compensate Oakland for the damages the defendants’ unlawful actions have caused and will cause to the people of Oakland.”
Davis broke off stadium talks with the city after not making headway in public funding for a new Bay Area facility; those discussions did not advance far. The Raiders then secured a record $750MM in public funds from Nevada, and they received approval from 31 owners for a pending move in March 2017.
The Raiders do not have a lease to play at Oakland Coliseum for the 2019 season, and Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com notes their rent has tripled since a January 2016 handshake agreement to continue play at the 50-plus-year-old venue.
“Emotionally, I would say, why would I give them $3, $4, $5MM in rent that they’re going to turn around and use to sue me?” Davis said during a November ESPN interview. “But, at the same time, if they’ll have us, I can’t turn on the fans. I can’t do it. And this is terrible negotiating I’m doing now. I’m going to get killed. But that’s just the way I am. But, if in fact it does get ugly, and can’t be bridged, we do have options.”
It’s unclear what those options are, but the Raiders have been linked to San Diego and San Antonio. Both of those cities landed Alliance of American Football teams, but each could conceivably be in play for a 2019 Raiders bridge season. However, Gutierrez notes the NFL may well scuttle a three-team southern California setup, even though the league used that arrangement from 1982-94. Davis also does not want the Raiders and 49ers to share Levi’s Stadium for a year, per Gutierrez, who adds that still may be on the table.
UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium was once rumored as a stopgap option, though noise has cooled on that front. The University of Nevada-Reno’s Mackay Stadium may be a possibility, per Gutierrez (Twitter link), with the Raiders eyeing Reno as a potential training camp site once they relocate.
Raiders Waive C.J. Anderson
C.J. Anderson‘s stay back in the AFC West did not last long. The Raiders made the decision to waive the veteran running back on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Bay Area native signed with Oakland a week ago but did not play in the Raiders’ upset win over the Steelers on Sunday. This marks the third time Anderson has been cut in 2018.
This comes on the heels of an Anderson 1,000-yard season in ’17. While the Broncos possessed one of the NFL’s worst offenses last year, Anderson had a strong season. However, Denver waited until April to release Anderson and went with rookies as its primary backs this season. Carolina cut bait on Anderson midway through this season, with Christian McCaffrey becoming a usage dynamo in his second year to leave little room for a complementary back.
Doug Martin showing he was healthy led to this move, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). The Chiefs showed interest in Anderson earlier this month but reunited with longtime backup Charcandrick West instead.
Extra Points: Packers, Martin, Draft, Raiders
Bashaud Breeland‘s workout parade concluded in Green Bay, but his Packers contract is nearly its expiration. The veteran cornerback would re-enter the market in a better position, doing so a year after a golf cart-related injury harpooned his value. But Breeland, who said many teams would not medically clear him after his foot injury, would be interested if the Packers approached him about staying before he hit the market. Although, he said the Packers have not discussed an extension with him yet.
“If I have the opportunity, I would,” Breeland said, via Ryan Wood of Packersnews.com, of a possible extension or offseason Packers re-signing. “At this point in time, the Green Bay Packers have first dibs because I’m here. They can make it happen at any moment.”
The Packers are not known as extravagant spenders but are keen on locking up their own talent. Breeland has only played in four Packers games, but on Sunday, the former Redskins starter recovered a fumble and returned an interception for a score. Both Tramon Williams and Davon House‘s contacts expire at season’s end as well, but the Packers still have recent high draft picks Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson and Kevin King locked up long-term. Next year’s cornerback market may include the likes of Darqueze Dennard, Ronald Darby, Bradley Roby and Bryce Callahan while also housing veterans Morris Claiborne, Kareem Jackson and Brent Grimes.
Here is the latest from around the league as Week 14 winds down.
- Zack Martin re-aggravated his MCL sprain during the fourth quarter of the Cowboys‘ overtime win over the Eagles on Sunday, and Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes the All-Pro guard will likely be limited in practice this week. Martin has never missed a start in his five-year career, but MCL sprains are often multi-week injuries. The possibility Martin misses multiple games in order to right himself for an expected playoff game is on the table, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. If Martin does sit against the Colts, Connor Williams would start at right guard, per Archer.
- So far, the prevailing word surrounding possible top-five pick Justin Herbert is another year in Eugene, Ore. But longtime evaluator Gil Brandt, now with NFL.com, tweets he would make substantial bet that the Oregon quarterback declares for the 2019 draft and becomes a top-five selection. Teams like the Giants, Jaguars and Buccaneers would likely be interested if Herbert left early.
- Texas Tech wide receiver Antoine Wesley will depart school early. Responsible for 1,410 yards this season — third-most in Red Raiders history behind Michael Crabtree and Keke Coutee — Wesley announced Monday (on Twitter) he will leave Lubbock and head to the NFL.
- Scot McCloughan could be a name to watch in the Raiders‘ GM or de facto GM search, Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The former Redskins and 49ers GM interviewed with the Raiders for a position under Reggie McKenzie after the 2014 season, but Tafur notes McCloughan wanted personnel control. He then took Washington’s GM job before an ugly divorce. Jon Gruden and McCloughan’s tenures in Green Bay briefly overlapped in the mid-1990s, and Tafur notes McCloughan got along well with Jay Gruden in Washington.
- The Broncos worked out 15 players on Monday. Defensive linemen Winston Craig, Jon Cunningham, Marcus Hardison and Christian Lacouture took part in the group audition, per Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Defensive backs Jude Adjei-Barimah, Sojourn Shelton and Henre’ Toliver joined linebacker Greer Martini in working out in Denver, per Klis.