The Las Vegas Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent DT John Jenkins, the club announced Friday.
Jenkins enters his 11th season in the NFL and joins the Raiders after playing the past two seasons for the Miami Dolphins. Originally a third-round draft pick (82nd overall) by the New Orleans Saints of the 2013 NFL Draft, Jenkins has played in 116 career games with 30 starts for the Saints (2013-16), Seattle Seahawks (2016), Chicago Bears (2017, 2020) and New York Giants (2018), totaling 212 tackles (112 solo), 2.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He has also played in five postseason games and recorded eight tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.
A native of Meriden, Conn., Jenkins played collegiately at Georgia (2011-12), appearing in 27 games with 18 starts and posting 78 tackles (36), four sacks, one interception, two passes defensed and one forced fumble. As a senior, Jenkins was named second team All-SEC.
• The Raiders have re-signed unrestricted free agent WR Keelan Cole Sr., the club announced Thursday. Cole enters his seventh NFL season and second with the Raiders after making stops with the New York Jets (2021) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-20). Cole, who originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars in 2017, has appeared in 93 career games with 37 starts, totaling 197 receptions for 2,832 yards and 14 touchdowns. Last season, the 6-foot-1, 194-pound wide receiver played in 14 games with three starts for the Silver and Black, recording 10 receptions for 141 yards and one touchdown. He set career highs in receptions (55) and receiving touchdowns (five) in 2020, while his career-high 748 receiving yards in 2017 were the most by an undrafted rookie in Jaguars’ franchise history.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent CB Duke Shelley, the club announced Thursday. Shelley, a 5-9, 176-pound cornerback joins the Raiders after stints with Chicago Bears (2019-21) and Minnesota Vikings (2022). Originally the Bears’ sixth-round selection (205th overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft, Shelley has appeared in 41 career games with 11 starts and totaled 80 tackles (58 solo), one interception and 12 passes defensed. Last season, Shelley played in 11 games with five starts and set career highs in tackles (30), interceptions (one) and passes defensed (eight).
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent TE Austin Hooper, the club announced Wednesday. Hooper, a 6-foot-4, 254-pound tight end, joins the Raiders after spending last season with the Tennessee Titans. The two-time Pro Bowl selection was originally selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (81st overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft and spent his first four NFL seasons with the club before spending two seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2020-21). Hooper has appeared in 105 career games with 59 starts and totaled 339 receptions for 3,468 yards and 25 touchdowns. Last season, Hooper played in 17 games with two starts for the Titans and recorded 41 receptions for 444 yards and two touchdowns. Since 2016, Hooper’s 339 receptions rank fourth in the NFL amongst all tight ends, and he has recorded at least three touchdowns in six of his seven NFL seasons.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent CB David Long Jr., the club announced Wednesday. Long, originally a third round (79th overall) selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, has spent his first four years in the league with the club and has appeared in 52 games with 10 starts, totaling 75 tackles (66 solo), one interception and seven passes defensed. Last season, Long played in 12 games with four starts and recorded a career-high 21 tackles. Long has appeared in six career postseason contests with one start and posted 12 tackles (11), one interception returned for a touchdown, and one pass defensed.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent WR Cam Sims, the club announced Tuesday. Sims joins the Raiders after spending his first five seasons in the NFL with the Washington Commanders, appearing in 55 career games with 17 starts and recording 57 receptions for 804 yards with three touchdowns. Last season, Sims played in 17 games with three starts and posted eight catches for 89 yards. A native of Monroe, La., Sims played collegiately at Alabama from 2014-17, where he totaled 41 receptions for 467 yards and two touchdowns.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent S Jaquan Johnson, the club announced Tuesday. Johnson joins the Raiders after playing four seasons for the Buffalo Bills, appearing in 60 career games with four starts and posting 39 tackles (21 solo), two interceptions and two passes defensed, while adding 13 stops on special teams. Last season, Johnson played in 16 games with three starts and recorded a career-high 25 tackles (11) and added one interception and one pass defensed. A native of Miami, Fla., Johnson played collegiately at Miami (2015-18), appearing in 48 games and totaling 252 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, eight interceptions, seven passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles. As a senior, Johnson was named Second-Team All-ACC.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent O.J. Howard, the club announced Monday. Howard, a 6-foot-6, 251-pound tight end, joins the Raiders after one season with the Houston Texans. Originally a first-round pick (19th overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the 2017 NFL Draft, Howard spent five seasons with the club (2017-21). He has appeared in 74 career games with 60 starts, totaling 129 receptions for 1,882 yards with 17 touchdowns. Last season, Howard recorded 10 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He set career highs in 2019 with 34 receptions and 459 receiving yards.
• The Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent DL Jordan Willis, the club announced Monday. Willis joins the Raiders after playing the past two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2021-22). Originally a third-round selection (73rd overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2017 NFL Draft, Willis has played in 69 career games with two starts, posting 91 tackles (55 solo), 10.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, one pass defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Willis played collegiately at Kansas State from 2013-16, where he registered 114 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, 26 sacks and seven forced fumbles. As a senior, Willis was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
