Raiders Predicted to Sign DE Takkarist McKinley

The Raiders are predicted to sign former first-round pick DE Takkarist McKinley to a short-term contract

Last season, many Las Vegas Raiders activities went under the radar during the midst of the season.

One was the Silver and Black’s decision to pick up former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley off of waivers.

McKinley, a 2017 former first-round pick, has struggled to perform in the NFL with the Falcons. After getting ousted in Atlanta, the Raiders decided to take a gamble on McKinley.

According to Pro Football Focus, after the Falcons released McKinley, both the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers took a shot on him, but he failed both physicals.

The Raiders claimed McKinley on waivers to get him back to a healthy condition.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has expressed interest in keeping McKinley and introducing him to the Las Vegas defensive line.

While sources such as Pro Football Focus predict McKinley to be signed to a three-year, $28.5-million contract, other sources predict McKinley will be signed to a one-year “prove-it” deal.

I’m with the latter as the Raiders already have made mistakes signing tackle Trent Brown to a long-term contract and even defensive end Carl Nassib, the sixth highest-paid player on the team with a $7.5 million salary, was a healthy scratch from two games last season.

Give McKinley one year to prove his value to the Silver and Black. If all else fails, the money given to McKinley will open up cap space for next year’s off-season.

If it all works out, sign him to a long-term three-year deal to support defensive end Maxx Crosby in the long-term.

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