Raiders bring aboard veteran WR Snead
The Raiders signed wide receiver Willie Snead on Friday, adding another veteran pass catcher to a crowded position group.
The deal was first reported by ESPN as a one-year contract and confirmed by a team source.
Snead, 28, has 275 receptions for 3,393 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. Snead caught 33 passes for 432 yards and three touchdowns in 13 starts with eight games with Baltimore last season. He was out from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10 on the COVID-19 reserve list.
With John Brown having been added during the first wave of free agency, Snead is the second veteran receiver to join a position group that includes second-year players Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards, thirdyear slot receiver Hunter Renfrow and veteran Zay Jones, who was re-signed on a one-year, $2.5 million deal.
“They have a lot of great talent in the room already,” Snead said during a teleconference. “They’re bringing me in to build on top of that. What I bring to that room is a toughness, a leadership role, a veteran presence. I’m excited for the competition. I just want to mold myself in there and contribute where I can.
“I invite competition, I love that part, and coach (Jon) Gruden seems to be all about competing and making guys better. That fits my mold. I’m excited to be here and ready to get to work.”
Other receivers on the roster include Marcell Ateman, Keelan Doss and Trey Quinn.
Snead compared the Raiders passing game to his time with New Orleans under Sean Payton, who borrowed elements of the Philadelphia offense as run by Gruden as an offensive coordinator during their time together with the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the Saints, he was liable to line up on either side or in the slot.
“I was a versatile player during that time,” Snead said. “In this type of offense, the more you can do, the more they’ll keep you on the field. That’s what I prided myself on when I first came in to the league.” 49ERS’ GIVENS FACING ASSAULT CHARGE >> 49ers defensive tackle Kevin Givens is facing an assault charge for an incident last month in a Baltimore hotel.
Givens allegedly beat a man on Feb. 21, resulting in a second-degree misdemeanor assault charge. Givens is named as a defendant in District Court of Baltimore records.
Givens, 24, played in 13 games with one start for the 49ers last season as a second-year undrafted free agent out of Penn State. Officials from the 49ers could not immediately be reached for comment.
The 49ers issued the following press release regarding Givens: “The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the media report regarding Kevin Givens. We are gathering the relevant facts of this matter and will continue to monitor the situation.”The charge resulted following a confrontation with Hayden Bosley, who argued with Givens over a ride share. Givens’ girlfriend was also present, according to TMZ, which first reported the story.
Bosley said Givens later attacked him at the Sheraton Hotel, with Bosley saying he suffered a dislocated shoulder, a black eye, bruises, cuts and scrapes. He said he was hospitalized after the confrontation.
A trial date has been scheduled for April 26.
BUCS BRING BACK FOURNETTE >> Running back Leonard Fournette is returning to the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year contract, NFL Network reported. The deal is for $3.25 million, but incentives could push it to $4 million.