Gruden cuts ties with Johnson
Veteran linebacker released after only 6 games with team
ALAMEDA >> Jon Gruden announced Tuesday the Raiders cut veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson after six games with the team.
The Raiders signed Johnson in free agency this offseason with the intention of making him their starting middle linebacker after he spent 13 seasons with the division rival Chiefs. He started as that, but quickly fell out of favor with the coaching staff as second-year linebacker Marquel Lee jumped him on the depth chart.
Johnson, who turns 36 on Nov. 22 and was the Raiders’ oldest player, saw more defensive snaps than Lee the first two weeks of the season — 62 percent to 38 percent in Week 1 and 65 percent to 38 percent in Week 2 — but Lee has played far more than Johnson the last four games.
“I’d like to thank Derrick Johnson. I talked to him last night,” Gruden said Tuesday. “Obviously it’s a very tough decision for us.
He did a great job coming in here and giving us some leadership. We made that roster change and we certainly wish Derrick Johnson the best.”
Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and became one of the most respected linebackers in the league in his decade-plus with Kansas City. Gruden sold him on the Raiders by convincing him they could win now, and Johnson bought in. But Gruden and the Raiders couldn’t buy into Johnson past Week 6. Johnson ranked seventh on the team with 17 tackles through six weeks.
In Johnson’s place, undrafted rookie linebacker Jason Cabinda was promoted to the active roster. Cabinda saw some firstteam reps in camp, and he might’ve been signed to another active roster if the Raiders waited any longer.
“He delivered some of the things that we wanted,” Gruden said of Johnson. “Obviously helping our young linebacking corps, guys like Marquel Lee, Nick Morrow, Jason Cabinda in particular. Cabinda had generated a lot of interest from other teams. We didn’t want to lose him. It was a tough decision. We want to improve our run defense and we’re gonna give Cabinda a shot.”
• Gruden said “we are concerned about” Marshawn Lynch’s groin strain. Gruden will have a further explanation next week after Lynch is evaluated. “We are also hopeful that we can continue to use him,” Gruden said.
• Rookie left tackle Kolton Miller has allowed six sacks and 15 quarterback pressures in 81 pass-blocking snaps the last two games while playing through a right knee injury, according to Pro Football Focus. Asked how much the injury correlates to Miller’s struggles, Gruden said, “I think it’s been a little bit of a factor.” Gruden also said All-Pro left guard Kelechi Osemele missing the last two games hasn’t helped.
“Hopefully we get K.O. back soon. That’ll help our left tackle play better,” Gruden said. “He’s missed the last two games. Just so happens that our left tackle has struggled a little bit. When you’re switching stunts and working combination blocks, it helps when you’re working with one of the premier guards in all of football. I don’t think you need to be a football scholar to know that there are a lot of things that go into the last two outings.”
• Gruden is still encouraged by quarterback Derek Carr, who has struggled behind a sub-par offensive line the last two weeks.
“He’s the strength of this football team. We’re going to get him to play better. He’s on my watch. I said it when I got here: if he doesn’t play better, I’ve failed,” Gruden said. “This guy is a good player that can be great. We’ve got to protect him better, so we can really see what he can do. We’ve got to protect him better, obviously. If we do that, I think he’ll showcase what he can do. He was 29 of 32 at Denver, threw for 450 yards. Come back to beat Cleveland. There is a lot to work with there. I’m excited about it.”