Oakland Raiders Free Agency Rumors: Reggie Nelson Signs Two-Year Deal
After spending the majority of his career in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, free safety Reggie Nelson is ushering a new life in football after signing a new deal to play for the Oakland Raiders this season. The unrestricted free agent agreed to join the Raiders on a two-year deal after spending six seasons in Cincinnati.
The deal was first reported by Adam Schefter, while multiple sources claim that the contract is worth $12 million. The 32-year old veteran proved last season that he still could be a major contributor for any team by leading the league in interceptions (eight) and also coming up with 77 tackles. Nelson's two greatest abilities as a safety is he thrives in the clutch and that he comes with superior ball skills which aren't really common in players at this position. Although the Bengals expressed their interest in keeping him, the chance to have a bigger pay day prompted him to go somewhere else.
In nine years as a pro, Nelson owns a total of 683 tackles, 80 passes defensed, 30 interceptions, and nine forced fumbles. He also started in 125 games out of the 138 he played so far. The 21st overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars played one of his best seasons last year, although the Bengals already knew he was going to test free agency after the season.
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The league-leading eight interceptions he produced last season was also his career high and is the main reason why he earned his first ever Pro Bowl selection. The best part of that season was when he was able to record an interception for five consecutive games.
His addition to the Raiders' secondary is great news considering that the team hasn't really been able to solidify that area for a long time now. The retirement of Charles Woodson would have been a big blow for Oakland, but the effect is minimized by the entry of Nelson.
