The Mercury News

Raiders, Penn agree to part ways after five seasons

- By Jerry McDonald jmcdonald@bayareanew­sgroup.com Field Level Media contribute­d to this report

With the addition of tackle Trent Brown in free agency, it came as no surprise Saturday when the Raiders released Donald Penn in what was described as a “mutual” decision.

Penn arrived during a grim period when Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie decided against retaining free agent left tackle Jared Veldheer and instead coveted Rams tackle Rodger Saffold.

The Raiders agreed to terms with Saffold, only to have the deal fall apart after the lineman failed a physical because of a shoulder injury.

With Veldheer signing with Arizona, the Raiders brought in Penn, who had been released by Tampa Bay after a poor season. Penn made the transition look brilliant, providing Pro Bowl quality blind-side protection for rookie quarterbac­k Derek Carr.

Penn started 48 straight games for the Raiders, raising his personal streak to an eventual 170, before injuries began to catch up with him the past two seasons.

After missing the Raiders’ playoff game following the 2016 season with a knee injury, Penn didn’t play in Weeks 16 and 17 in 2017 with a lisfranc foot injury. The Raiders selected tackle Kolton Miller in the first round of the 2018 draft, who took over at left tackle with Penn switching to the right.

Four games in to the 2019 season, Penn had a groin injury that ended his season, with rookie third-round pick Brandon Parker taking over at right tackle. With Miller and Brown entrenched as starters — the Raiders have not determined which will play left tackle and which will play right — Penn’s $7.2 million cap hit and $4.5 million salary on a renegotiat­ed deal became problemati­c for a 35-year-old reserve.

Brown, 25, signed a four-year, $66 million contract with $36.25 in guaranteed money — the most ever paid to an offensive lineman.

The 6-foot-8, 380-pound Brown is the largest player in the NFL. Penn said on Twitter he plays on continuing his career.

“Donald will always be a Raider and his presence will be missed by the entire Raiders family,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement. “I wish the absolute best for Donald in his family.”

In the same statement released by the Raiders, Penn said, “Thank you to Mark Davis and the entire Oakland Raiders organizati­on giving me an opportunit­y to play for you ... thank you to my Raiders teammates for always going to war and leaving it all on the field.”

College football

CAL SPRING GAME >> Junior running back Marcel Dancy scored two touchdowns, one each on a run and a pass reception, during Cal’s spring game.

One of the key battles of camp is at quarterbac­k. Cal doesn’t expect to name a starting quarterbac­k until

training camp begins in August, but redshirt sophomore incumbent Chase Garbers appears to be the clear leader after three weeks of spring practice.

“Chase has really shown a great command and he’s driving the ball a lot better this spring than he was a year ago,” coach Justin Wilcox said.

Nothing that happened during Saturday’s spring game changed the quarterbac­k picture, where UCLA transfer Devon Modster is getting most of the second-team reps.

Garbers was among four players who saw action at the position for the Bears last season, and he was the most productive, completing 61 percent of his passes for 1,506 yards with 14 touchdowns.

But he also threw 10 intercepti­ons and Cal was ineffectiv­e in the red zone.

Beau Baldwin, who has added quarterbac­ks coach to his role as offensive coordinato­r and playcaller, likes what he’s seeing from all four quarterbac­ks this spring. Garbers’ experience in the system gives him an advantage and Baldwin said the competitio­n has probably helped him.

• The Bears have three more spring practices next week, but sophomore running back Christophe­r Brown Jr., may not be available to participat­e.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder, who seems likely to replace two-year start Patrick Laird, was helped off the field midway through Saturday’s action after apparently injuring his left foot or ankle. There was no immediate word on the nature of his injury.

— Jeff Faraudo

Tennis

NADAL BOWS OUT WITH INJURY >> A blockbuste­r matchup was over before it started as second-seeded Rafael Nadal withdrew ahead of his semifinal clash with No. 4 Roger Federer at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Nadal cited a right knee injury that forced him to take two medical timeouts during his quarterfin­al match the day before.

“I warmed up today, and I felt that my knee was not good to compete at the level I needed to compete in (the) semifinals,” said Nadal, per ESPN.

It would have been the 39th career meeting between the Federer and Nadal, a series the Spaniard leads 23-15.

“It’s a big letdown,” Federer said. “I know the anticipati­on is there from the crowd and also us players.”

Golf

RAHM FORGES TO LEAD >> Jon Rahm of Spain sped his way up the leaderboar­d with a round-best 64 on to take a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood after the third round of play at The Players Championsh­ip at the famed TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Rahm’s round featured seven birdies, one eagle (on the par 5 11th) and one bogey and allowed him finish 54 holes at 15-under-par 201 and to jump nine spots and sleep on the lead with 18 holes to play.

Rahm hit nine of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation and had a great day on the greens, with no misses on putts within 10 feet.

McIlroy and Fleetwood each posted up-and-down rounds of 70, with McIlroy missing a 13-foot birdie putt on the par 4 closing hole and hitting just four fairways in the round.

Rahm is in search of his third PGA Tour win and his seventh victory worldwide, most recently the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December.

Basketball

BLAZERS MAKE IT EIGHT IN ROW >> DeMar DeRozan’s 21 points led seven San Antonio players in double-figure scoring as the Spurs made all the big plays in the fourth quarter to beat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 108-103 and capture their eighth straight victory.

• Portland guard CJ McCollum left the game after injuring his left leg during a drive to the basket. Collum crashed to the court with 7:17 left in the third quarter and immediatel­y grabbed his knee in apparent pain.

Motorsport­s

CUSTER FOILS BUSCH >> Thanks to Cole Custer, Kyle Busch will have to wait at least one more day.

With a determined run to the finish in the Production Alliance Group 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway, Custer kept Busch at bay after a restart with 20 laps left and thwarted Busch’s march toward 200 victories across NASCAR’s top three national series.

In winning for the third time in his career and the first time at his home track, the Ladera Ranch native grabbed the lead from Christophe­r Bell on Lap 132 of 150 and pulled away to beat Busch to the finish by 1.927 seconds, after Busch passed Bell for second on Lap 136.

 ?? BRIAN BAHR — GETTY IMAGES ?? Tackle Donald Penn was released by the Raiders on Saturday after the team signed free agent Trent Brown.
BRIAN BAHR — GETTY IMAGES Tackle Donald Penn was released by the Raiders on Saturday after the team signed free agent Trent Brown.

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