Sebastian Janikowski To Continue Playing
Sebastian Janikowski is done with the Raiders, but he’s not done playing. The kicker’s agent says he’ll try to catch on with another team after learning that the Raiders will not be bringing him back for 2018. 
“He plans on getting another job,” agent Paul Healy tells Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Unfortunately, he had this back issue. He’s healthy now, and he’s ready to go.”
Janikowski, who turns 40 on March 2, will leave the Raiders as one of the most well-known figures in franchise history. He also has his place in the record books with franchise records of 268 regular season games played and 1,799 points scored. Meanwhile, he has the most field goals from 50+ yards in NFL history with 55.
Janikowski did not see the field in 2017 thanks to a back injury, but his rep says that won’t be an issue for him going forward. You can expect Seabass to draw interest from teams in need of a reliable leg (the Seahawks, perhaps?) this offseason.
Raiders Part Ways With Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski‘s 18-year run with the Raiders has come to an end. On Wednesday, the Raiders informed the kicker that he will not be re-signed for the 2018 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Last offseason, Janikowski initially balked when the Raiders asked him to take a pay cut, and that nearly marked the end of his tenure in Oakland. The kicker eventually acquiesced, but a preseason back injury kept him off of the field for the entire season.
Janikowski’s replacement, Giorgio Tavecchio, may have the inside track on the job, but new coach Jon Gruden could also open up a competition. Last year, the 27-year-old (28 in July), connected on 76.2% of his field goal tries and made 33 of 34 extra point attempts.
Before 2017, the 2000 first-round pick missed four games with the Raiders, and his 268 appearances are the most in franchise history. Despite his long-running history with team, the Raiders clearly had concerns about his age and possible decline. In 2016, Janikowski made 82.9% of his field goals and went 37-of-39 on extra point tries. He has not cleared the 83% mark on field goals since 2014. If not for the timing of the team announcing a move to Las Vegas, Janikowski might have been released before the 2017 season.
Janikowski turns 40 in March, but it seems likely that he’ll want to continue playing.
With Janikowski out of the picture in Oakland, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady stands as the only player from the 2000 NFL draft still with the team that drafted him.
Lynch, Gruden Have Met Multiple Times
Though it had been reported that Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch had been “blowing off” new head coach Jon Gruden, the veteran back’s agent Doug Hendrickson dispelled those rumors on Twitter on Friday. 
Hendrickson tweeted: “To all the couch potato non verified media ppl speaking on Marshawn Lynch-get a real job and check sources! #beastmode.” The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Michael Gehlken confirmed as much with his sources (Twitter link).
Lynch is signed through the 2018 and possesses a cap number of $6 MM. Though some have speculated the pair might butt heads, it appears the two are working to find a fit for the running back in the team’s new system.
After a year away from football, Lynch returned to the gridiron with the Raiders and produced 891 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 207 carries. Though Oakland suffered a disappointing campaign, the five-time Pro Bowl back proved he had plenty left in the tank.
Why Raiders Could Cut Marshawn Lynch
- Now that the Raiders have released cornerback David Amerson, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area looked at which players could be next to go. The list starts with wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who is slated to carry a $7.7MM cap number. While Crabtree has come up big at times during his three-year Oakland tenure, his age (31 in September) and inconsistent work ethic are definite strikes against him. Running back Marshawn Lynch ($6MM cap number), safety Sean Smith ($8.5MM), and WR Seth Roberts ($4.45MM, $2MM in dead money) could also be released in order to create cap room, though in the case of Lynch, he may retire before Jon Gruden & Co. can bring the ax down. Expensive veterans like Bruce Irvin ($8.25MM), Kelechi Osemele ($10.5MM), Rodney Hudson ($8.4MM), Jared Cook ($5.3MM) and Cordarrelle Patterson ($3.25MM) figure to stay, in Bair’s estimation.
Raiders Cut CB David Amerson
Add David Amerson to the list of 2018 free agents. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders have cut the veteran cornerback. Yates notes that the defensive back’s $5.5MM base salary would have 
become fully guaranteed this week.
The 2013 second-round pick came into the league with the Redskins before being waived during the 2015 season. He was subsequently claimed by the Raiders, where he proceeded to start 12 of his 14 appearances. Following his four-interception campaign, Amerson inked a four-year, $35MM ($17.5MM) extension with the organization.
The cornerback had another productive season in 2016, finishing the year with two interceptions and a career-high 64 tackles. However, he was limited to only six games in 2017 while dealing with a foot sprain. He ultimately finished the year with 18 tackles and four passes defended.
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the Super Bowl in the books, we now know the draft order for the entire first round of the 2018 draft. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. New England Patriots (13-3)
32. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Roger Goodell Affirms Raiders Did Not Violate Rooney Rule
- It seems fairly clear that the Raiders violated the Rooney Rule when they agreed to hire Jon Gruden as their next coach before interviewing any minority candidates, but commissioner Roger Goodell insisted during his state of the league address last week that Oakland was in compliance with the Rule. However, the way in which Goodell delivered that affirmation has raised plenty of eyebrows (as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports discusses in detail), and if the Raiders were found to be in compliance with the Rule, it seems unlikely any team will be found to have violated it in the future.
2018 Proven Performance Escalators
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.
If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.908MM in 2018. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2018 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:
49ers: Trent Brown, T; Eli Harold, LB
Bears: Adrian Amos, S
Bengals: Tyler Kroft, TE; Josh Shaw, DB
Bills: John Miller, G
Broncos: Max Garcia, G; Trevor Siemian, QB
Browns: Duke Johnson, RB
Buccaneers: Kwon Alexander, LB
Cardinals: David Johnson, RB; J.J. Nelson, WR
Chargers: Kyle Emanuel, LB
Chiefs: Chris Conley, WR; Steven Nelson, CB
Colts: Henry Anderson, DE; Mark Glowinski, G; Denzelle Good, OL
Dolphins: Bobby McCain, CB
Eagles: Jay Ajayi, RB; Jordan Hicks, LB
Falcons: Grady Jarrett, DT
Jaguars: A.J. Cann, OL
Lions: Quandre Diggs, CB
Packers: Jake Ryan, LB
Panthers: Daryl Williams, T
Patriots: Trey Flowers, DE; Shaq Mason, G
Raiders: Clive Walford, TE
Rams: Jamon Brown, G
Ravens: Za’Darius Smith, LB
Redskins: T.J. Clemmings, OL; Jamison Crowder, WR
Saints: Tyeler Davison, DT
Seahawks: Tyler Lockett, WR
Steelers: Jesse James, TE
Vikings: Stefon Diggs, WR; Danielle Hunter, DE
OverTheCap.com was essential in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raiders To Hire Brian Callahan As QBs Coach
The Raiders will hire former Lions quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan for the same role in Oakland, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link).
Callahan has been a hot name in NFL coaching circles over the past few weeks, as he interviewed for the Titans’ offensive coordinator vacancy and the Jets’ quarterbacks coach position. He was also linked to a job with the Giants, but never officially met with the club. Despite that level of interest, Detroit somewhat surprisingly allowed Callahan to seek employment elsewhere.
Callahan, the son of Redskins offensive line coach Bill Callahan, first entered the NFL with the Broncos 2010. He rose Denver’s ranks to become the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2015, then took the same job with the Lions the next year. Along with Detroit offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Callahan helped Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford post two of the best seasons of his career from 2016-17.
Although Callahan has now landed in Oakland, he wasn’t the only candidate for the Raiders QBs job. Former NFL quarterback and current Louisiana Tech quarterbacks coach Tim Rattay also interviewed for the gig on Thursday, per Breer (Twitter link). Former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon was originally thought to be a candidate to take the position, as well, but he declined to interview.
Raiders To Interview Brian Callahan
- Brian Callahan‘s received interest from the Titans and Jets since he and the Lions parted ways, with the former scheduling an OC interview that took place Wednesday. However, the Raiders are in the mix for Callahan now too. Callahan will interview for Oakland’s quarterbacks coach position, Jason Wolf of The Tennesseean reports. The Jets view him as a fit for their QBs job as well and are interviewing him for that role. So, the former Broncos and Lions assistant has options.