Getty Former Raiders LB Te'Von Coney.
It’s been a busy week for the newly-minted Las Vegas Raiders as they’ve changed their name and already signed a few players. They decided to make another move on Friday to bring back a familiar face in linebacker Te’Von Coney. The team signed him to a reserves/futures contract.
The Raiders brought in Coney as an undrafted free agent heading into last season but he didn’t make the final roster cuts. The former Notre Dame standout eventually found himself on the practice squad for most of the season. He never made it to the active roster despite the team’s issues at linebacker and it originally looked like the Raiders might let him walk as many other members of the team’s practice squad signed soon after the season ended.
Coney Was Projected to Be a UDFA Star by Bleacher Report
Heading into the season, there was actually a bit of buzz surrounding Coney. The Raiders have struggled at linebacker for years and didn’t address the need in the draft. They added Brandon Marshall, who they cut before the season and they added Vontaze Burfict, who was suspended for the whole year after playing four games. Chris Roling at Bleacher Report predicted Coney to be a standout in 2019:
“Meanwhile, in Oakland, the Raiders have been tripping over themselves as they try to patch up a bad linebacker unit, even adding veterans like Brandon Marshall and Vontaze Burfict whom nobody else seemed to want.
Provided [Te’von] Coney’s coverage skills translate quickly, it’s easy to see him excelling on special teams as a rookie after making the final roster. And it’s worth taking into account that he seems to have a better chance than most on this list to become an eventual starter down the road.”
The Raiders got huge contributions from two undrafted free agents in 2019, but Coney was neither of them. Punter A.J. Cole was among the best in the NFL at pinning teams inside their 20-yard line and fullback Alec Ingold was voted as a Pro Bowl alternate. That’s not even mentioning cornerback Keisean Nixon, who the team is excited about. It remains to be seen if Coney will get a shot at the roster. He needs to prove that he has above-average coverage skills because that’ll probably be his best chance of getting recognized.
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Mike Mayock Loves Finding Gems in Free Agency
The Raiders are very welcoming to undrafted free agents. The team doesn’t value Incumbency very much and will give up on a player they drafted if an undrafted player is outperforming them. General manager Mike Mayock spoke to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal about finding gems late in the draft and in free agency:
“I want to go get another Alec Ingold. I want to find another Keisean Nixon. I want to continue to build our depth throughout the draft and free agency. The fans love the first-round picks and the splashy moves in free agency, but to me it’s all important.”
If Mayock’s first year is any gauge of what to expect from the Raiders going forward, don’t be surprised if there’s a lot of unexpected talent making a big impact for the team in 2020.
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