Not much went according to plan for the Raiders in 2022, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
That will no doubt lead to several changes being made this offseason, but one veteran presence could find himself staying in Las Vegas.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman finished out his existing contract in 2022, after a summer which included talks of an extension being signed. He made it clear in July that he was aiming for a new deal, an understandable stance after he enjoyed a career-year in 2021. His 154 tackles helped him earn a Pro Bowl nod, and set him up for another season as a full-time starter this year.
In 2022, the 30-year-old was once again a mainstay in the middle of the Raiders’ defense, though he saw a downtick in usage. Perryman’s snap share dropped to 70%, down from 84% in his debut season with the Silver and Black.
He made 83 stops and added one sack and 14 tackles for loss before missing the end of the regular season with a dislocated shoulder. Those numbers earned him a PFF grade of 74.2, the third-highest of his career. He graded out as a top-20 linebacker for the first time, in large part due to his strength as a run-stopper.
They could also put the former second-rounder in line for a new Raiders pact. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that the team “would like him back, provided it makes sense financially.”
Perryman had a base salary of $1.12M last year, and carried a cap hit of just over $3M. Given his production during his two years in Vegas, he could command much larger numbers than that on the open market, if he makes it to free agency next month.
The Raiders now have the third-most cap space in the league after releasing quarterback Derek Carr, so they have the flexibility to keep Perryman in the fold if they wish to do so.
Vegas also has a number of other pending UFAs at the second level of their defense, including Jayon Brown and Micah Kiser. While that leaves the team with the option of looking elsewhere in free agency and the draft, it would come as little surprise if they re-upped Perryman in the near future.
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