Raiders release Garoppolo, Renfrow for cap relief
The Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the start of the new league year by releasing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and receiver Hunter Renfrow to give the new regime more room to operate under the salary cap.
The Raiders also released backup quarterback Brian Hoyer and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery on Wednesday, just minutes after the start of the 2024 league year.
The moves create significant salary cap space for the Raiders to use this offseason as general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce look to build the team into a contender.
These decisions had been widely expected, as the Raiders benched Garoppolo midway through last season after Pierce took over for fired coach Josh McDaniels and the other players were no longer part of the team's long-term plans.
The Raiders had signed Garoppolo to a three-year, $72.75 million contract last offseason to take over as quarterback from recently released Derek Carr, but the move backfired almost from the start.
Garoppolo made six starts for Las Vegas, throwing nine interceptions and only seven TDs before getting benched following the coaching change. CHARGERS RELEASE WR WILLIAMS,
SAVING $20 MILLION IN SALARY CAP SPACE >> The Los Angeles Chargers released wide receiver Mike Williams, a move that will free up $20 million in salary cap space.
Williams, the seventh overall pick by the Bolts in the 2017 draft, was going into the final year of a 2022 contract extension worth $60 million that included $40 million guaranteed.
CHIEFS RESTRUCTURE MAHOMES'
CONTRACT FOR SALARY CAP RELIEF >> The Kansas City Chiefs have restructured quarterback Patrick Mahomes' contract, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press, giving the Super Bowl champions some muchneeded salary cap space.
By restructuring the contract, which would have counted more than $58 million against the cap for the upcoming season,
the Chiefs created more than $21 million to use elsewhere. That could include a much-publicized pursuit of help at wide receiver, their need for a new left tackle to protect Mahomes' blind side, or in re-signing their own free agents.
MLB
YANKEES ACE COLE TO SEE SPECIALIST >> New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole traveled to Los Angeles to see specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache for additional tests on his right elbow.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he has no timetable for how long Cole will be sidelined.
ElAttrache is the Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician and is an expert on elbows.
Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, has made at least 30 starts in each of the last six full regular seasons. He had an MRI on Monday and X-rays and a CT scan on Tuesday.
College football
MICHIGAN FINALIZING DEAL TO HIRE RBS COACH ALFORD AWAY FROM RIVAL OHIO
STATE >> Michigan is finalizing a deal to hire running backs coach Tony Alford from rival Ohio State, a person with direct knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.
Alford would replace Mike Hart, the former Wolverines star who had been running backs coach under coach Jim Harbaugh for three seasons.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore pulled off a bold move in building his first staff after Harbaugh's return to the NFL, adding one of Ryan Day's top assistants with the Buckeyes.