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.
Raiders Claim DL Gabe Wright
It didn’t take long for defensive tackle Gabe Wright to find a new home. Wright was waived by the Dolphins yesterday, and was claimed off waivers today by the Raiders, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
The 2015 fourth-rounder was cut by the Dolphins just hours after an incident at practice where he took a cheap-shot at running back Kenyan Drake. He wasn’t guaranteed a roster spot even before the fight, and the Dolphins wasted no time in sending him packing.
Despite the Lions using a relatively high selection on him in 2015, he lasted just one season in Detroit. He’s bounced around since then, spending time with Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Miami.
Through three seasons, Wright has made 13 career appearances. He’s notched 11 tackles and two passes defended in those appearances. The Raiders will be his fifth team in just four seasons, and he’ll be battling it out for an end-of-the roster spot on Jon Gruden’s squad.
Raiders Trying Penn At RT
- Raiders tackle Donald Penn is practicing again after agreeing to a new contract, and he has a new position as well. Penn was spotted working at right tackle on Tuesday with rookie Kolton Miller at left tackle, Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal tweets. Gehlken adds that this is not just an experiment – the Raiders believe that their best starting five has Miller on the left side and Penn on the right. Pro Football Focus ranked Penn as the league’s No. 23 overall tackle last year and the 12th best tackle in the league in 2016 as he worked from the left side.
- Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie worked out for the Seahawks last week, but did not auditioned for the Raiders as originally planned.