Things have slowed down quite a bit for the Las Vegas Raiders after a busy first week of free agency. The team still has plenty of roster space left to fill out over the next several months but there’s no rush to fill them quite yet. An interesting player to keep an eye on is Gerald McCoy.
The six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle was signed by the Raiders during training camp last year. Unfortunately, he only got to play a few snaps in the regular season before a ruptured quad ended his year. McCoy has been one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL for years and could be headed for the Hall of Fame after he retires. However, it doesn’t appear the 34-year-old is ready to end things quite yet.
One Raiders fan on Twitter expressed the fact that he wanted the team to re-sign McCoy. The veteran defensive tackle replied and said “I ain’t going nowhere.”
@danenright22 @Raiders I’m still here. Trust me. I ain’t going nowhere
That response could mean any number of things. It could mean that a return to the Raiders next season is in the works. It could also simply mean that McCoy will always be a Raider despite only being with the team for one season. Regardless, it’s a situation to watch as the team has already added a few defensive tackles this offseason.
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Will Raiders Re-Sign McCoy?
McCoy’s days as an impact defender are long in the past. He missed all of 2020 with an injury and then only played one game last season. If he continues playing, it won’t be for much longer. The Raiders make sense for him should he continue playing. New defensive line coach Frank Okam played with McCoy for three seasons when they were both on Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There’s no doubt the two are still quite familiar with each other.
McCoy might not bring much juice on the field anymore but he’s a great leader. He’s got a big personality and knows a lot about football. He’d be a great resource from a leadership standpoint. Perhaps there could even be interest in bringing him on the coaching staff if he can’t find a team to sign him. The Raiders do have a new coaching staff from last year but McCoy is a known commodity and the team should at least consider bringing him back.
Solomon Thomas Signs With Jets
New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is making some serious changes to the Raiders’ defensive line. The team isn’t set to bring back many defensive linemen this season under the new coach. One player who possibly earned a spot next season was Solomon Thomas.
He joined the Raiders last offseason and ended up being a solid addition. As a rotational defensive tackle, Thomas had 3.5 sacks. Unfortunately, he isn’t a big enough defensive tackle for Graham’s defense. After waiting in free agency, Thomas signed a deal with the New York Jets.
It’s a logical landing spot for Thomas as he used to play under head coach Robert Saleh.
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Raiders Free Agent Responds to Question on Future: ‘I Ain’t Going Nowhere’