NFL report: Raiders give contract extension to guard Gabe Jackson
The Oakland Raiders have locked up another member of their stellar 2014 draft class, agreeing to a five-year extension to keep guard Gabe Jackson under contract through the 2022 season.
A person familiar with the deal said Friday that it is worth $56 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal and its terms have not been announced. NFL Network first reported the deal that kicks in once Jackson’s rookie contract expires after the 2017 season.
Jackson has been a key part of the Raiders offensive line since being drafted in the third round. He did not allow a sack in 628 pass block snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus, the best rate for any guard in the league.
Jackson was part of a transformative draft class in Oakland that was headlined by first-rounder Khalil Mack and second-round franchise quarterback Derek Carr. After losing the first 10 games as rookies, those three have played a big role in a turnaround that led the Raiders to 12 wins last season and the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2002.
Carr got rewarded last week for his play, signing a $125 million, five-year extension that also keeps him under contract through 2022.
Mack is under contract through 2018 because the Raiders exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal and will likely be in line for an extension next offseason.
The Raiders have invested heavily in their offensive line in recent years, especially in the interior. Oakland signed All-Pro guard Kelechi Osemele to a five-year, $58.5-million free-agent deal last offseason and Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson got a five-year, $44.- million deal the previous offseason.
Oakland also has a Pro Bowler at left tackle in Donald Penn and signed Marshall Newhouse this offseason in hopes that he would win the right tackle job.
The strong offensive line has been key to the Raiders recent success as the team allowed a league-low 18 sacks last season.
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Baltimore Ravens tight end Darren Waller has been suspended without pay for at least one year for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. It’s the second time Waller has been suspended by the NFL for substance abuse. He missed Baltimore’s first four games last season. The league and the Ravens did not disclose Friday the substance Waller used that led to his suspension. After his first suspension, Waller acknowledged that used marijuana. He returned to catch 10 passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns. … Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Artie Burns has been charged with driving with a suspended license. A Miami Beach Police report says an officer pulled over Burns’ Cadillac SUV in South Beach on Thursday for having an expired tag. The report says the 22-year-old Burns failed to produce a driver’s license, and was handcuffed and taken to a county jail. Miami-Dade County court records show Burns hadn’t paid hundreds of dollars in traffic tickets and failed to appear for a hearing. …
Mitchell Henry, a tight end for three NFL teams following a standout career at Western Kentucky, has died after battling leukemia. He was 24. Western Kentucky announced on its website that Henry died Friday, and a school official confirmed the death. Henry signed free-agent deals with Green Bay, Denver and Baltimore. He played two games with the Broncos in 2015. Packers general manager Ted Thompson posted on the team’s Twitter account that Henry “made a terrific impression on everyone in our organization.” Henry caught 78 passes for 1,094 yards and 12 touchdowns for Western Kentucky from 2011-14. Hilltoppers athletic director Todd Stewart said Henry was as “committed to his teammates, his university, his friends and his family as you will ever find.”
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