Receiver Nelson sticks but not signed
ALAMEDA >> Jordy Nelson won’t leave the Bay Area Wednesday night after his visit with the Raiders, a source familiar with the situation told the Bay Area News Group. No agreement is in place just yet between Oakland and the former Green Bay Packers wide receiver, though, and talks are still ongoing.
Nelson, the free agent released by the Packers, took his first visit to Alameda on Wednesday afternoon. ESPN reported he had later visits scheduled with the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints, but Oakland will try to close a deal so Nelson doesn’t take those trips. Nelson has played for the Packers since entering the league in 2008 and has familiarity with current Raiders staffers from their time in Green Bay.
New Raiders wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett held the same position with the Packers from 2011-14. From 2015-17, Bennett served as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator.
When Nelson joined the team
as a rookie in 2008, current Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie worked in the Packers’ front office.
In his career, Nelson has 550 catches for 7,848 yards and 69 touchdowns. His production took a dip last season, though, as his numbers went from 85 catches, 1,314 yards and eight scores in 2013 to 98 catches, 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014 to 97 catches, 1,257 yards and 14 scores in 2016 ( Nelson missed 2015 with a right knee injury) to 53 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns in 2017 while quarterback Aaron Rodgers played only seven
games because of injury.
Nelson will be 33 years old when next season starts.
If Nelson joins Oakland, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Tuesday, Michael Crabtree’s release is expected. Crabtree caught 58 passes for 518 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Crabtree is owed $7 million in base salary in 2018 and $718,750 more in bonuses. His release would come with no dead money against the cap.
• The Raiders plan to resign tight end Lee Smith to a three-year deal, a source told the Bay Area News Group. Smith was Oakland’s best blocking tight end in 2017, and his resigning comes a day after a source told this publication the Raiders will sign free
agent blocking tight end Derek Carrier to a threeyear deal as well.
Smith only caught eight passes for 76 yards in 2017 compared to Jared Cook’s 54 catches for 688 yards and two touchdowns.
Carrier, like Smith, primarily a blocker, caught only eight passes with the Rams last season. Smith’s re-signing is Oakland’s second after the Raiders gave defensive tackle Justin Ellis a three-year deal.
• Sebastian Janikowski, 40, the Raiders’ all- time leader in scoring and games played, has a visit planned to the Los Angeles Chargers, according to an ESPN report Wednesday. The Raiders brought back exclusive rights free agent Giorgio Tavecchio on a oneyear,
$550,000 deal. Tavecchio handled kicking duties in 2017 as Janikowski spent the entire season on injured reserve with a back injury.
• TJ Carrie started 15 games for the Raiders last season, but he’s headed to the Cleveland Browns, according tomultiple reports. According to reports, Carrie’s deal is for four years and $31 million with $10 million guaranteed at signing.
• Former Raiders defensive lineman Denico Autry will sign with the Indianapolis Colts on a three-year deal worth $17.8 million with $6.5 million guaranteed, per the NFL Network.