I was at the gym working out when Dan Nied of the Vallejo Times-Herald told me of the report of how much Tommy Kelly will be paid.
I didn’t believe him when he said the $50 million range.
But that’s what it took to keep Kelly off the open market.
Raiders owner Al Davis isn’t cheap. He will pay (some say overpay) for players he likes.
So Kelly is guaranteed $18.125 million after four seasons in which he showed plenty promise, but hadn’t emerged as an elite player.
Then again, Davis gave DT Terdell Sands a four-year, $17 million deal with $4 million guaranteed and he’d shown considerably less than Kelly.
The reason for that was to make sure Sands didn’t end up with the Kansas City Chiefs. Sands then had a less than memorable 2007 season.
And Davis isn’t done spending.
When the clock strikes 9:01 p.m., free agency will be underway. The Raiders are still in the market for a receiver and safety.
The Chronicle’s Nancy Gay reports the Raiders will be ready to throw some money Gibril Wilson’s way.
Wilson is the safety from the New York Giants and a San Jose native.
Davis loves his Super Bowl players and Wilson was a big part of the Giants’ successful Super Bowl season.
If Davis is willing to pay Wilson well, one has to wonder what Derrick Burgess is thinking.
After expecting a new deal last year that didn’t get done, the two-time Pro Bowler was plagued by injuries and his first single-digit sack season (eight) in three seasons with the Raiders.
But the Raiders might re-sign defensive end Chris Clemons first and force Burgess to regain his Pro Bowl form before offering him a new deal.
The team is also interested in re-signing quarterback Josh McCown to backup JaMarcus Russell.
WR Andre Davis was retained by Houston, so the Raiders will have plenty of competition for Bernard Berrian.
The team could look for second-tier wideouts, like Arizona's Bryant Johnson.
--Jason Jones
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