Although the Las Vegas Raiders did not carve out significant cap space for their interior defensive line this offseason, the team’s new regime has been busy stocking this position group. It does not appear the team is finished tinkering with their depth.
Danny Shelton auditioned for the Raiders on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Shelton, who worked out for the Panthers late last month, is a seven-year veteran who — like a few new Raiders this year — has a history with the Patriots.
A first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2015, Shelton landed with the Pats in 2018 via trade. The nose tackle worked as a key backup during New England’s 2018 Super Bowl-winning season and was a starter for the team’s top-ranked defense in 2019. He spent the past two years in Patriots-friendly systems, landing with former Pats' defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and the 2020 Detroit Lions and then moving to Joe Judge’s New York Giants outfit the following year. A Raiders deal would continue a trend of Shelton playing on teams with familiar coaches.
The Raiders re-signed Johnathan Hankins this offseason but were busy bringing in outside talent on their defensive front. Bilal Nichols, Tyler Lancaster, Kyle Peko, Andrew Billings and former first-rounder Vernon Butler signed with Las Vegas this offseason. The team also used fourth- and fifth-round draft choices on its D-line (Neil Farrell, Matthew Butler).
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