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The Las Vegas Raiders have yet another reason to be at odds with the NFL. There is always some kind of tension between the two parties and this latest news won’t make things better. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, starting linebacker Denzel Perryman was fined $55,000 by the league for unnecessary roughness/use of helmet on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in Week 7.
Fowler noted that it is “one of largest amounts in recent years for an individual play.”
The play didn’t even receive a penalty during the game so this news must come as a surprise to Perryman. Raiders Beat found the play that landed the linebacker the fine and it’s hard to say if it warrants such a stiff penalty.
On the play, Perryman does lead with the helmet but doesn’t come close to landing a blow on Hurts’ head. It just looks like a run of the mill football play, certainly not one that warrants the biggest fine for an individual play in a long time. Fowler reported that Perryman’s agent Ron Butler is planning to appeal the fine.
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Perryman Has Been a Pleasant Surprise for Raiders
The linebacker pisition has been a mess for the Raiders for years. The team tried to finally fix the issue by signing Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton last year but that didn’t end up happening. Heading into this season, it looked like the team was going to mostly run it back at linebacker but then decided to shake up the position just before the season started.
The Raiders traded with Caronlina Panthers for Perryman and he was quickly inserted as the team’s starting middle linebacker. He’s ended up being one of the team’s best offseason additions. He’s third in the NFL 91 total tackles and hasn’t been making a ton of mistakes. He’s also recovered two fumbles. Las Vegas was fortuante to land him so close to the season as he’s been a perfect fit in Gus Bradley’s defense.
Casey Hayward Named to All-Underrated Team
Speaking of former Chargers playing well for the Raiders, Casey Hayward has been a revelation for the team. The veteran cornerback has been shutdown this season. Being 32-years-old, many were ready to count out Hayward as a No. 1 cornerback. However, he’s proven to still have plenty left in the tank. Doug Fararr of Touchdown Wire named Hayward to his All-Underrated team:
Whether he’s playing press or off-coverage, Hayward merges his athleticism with outstanding diagnostic skills through the play to present serious issues for opposing quarterbacks and receivers.
This season, in 298 coverage snaps, Hayward has allowed just 11 catches on 23 targets for 122 yards, 25 yards, no touchdowns, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating 64.0.
Again, there’s more — a lot more — to great defensive back play than just interceptions.
Hayward has been excellent this season and could be on his way to another Pro Bowl appearance if he keeps it up. He’s changed the entire dynamic of the Raiders defense. At his age, there is concern that he’ll slow down but he hasn’t shown any signs yet.
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