The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting the Raiders have struck a deal with free agent running back Dominic Rhodes. The former Colt signed a two-year contract worth $7.5 million that also includes a signing bonus of $1 million.
That’s a great deal for Oakland, who not five days ago retained Lamont Jordan at a discounted price. The team now has a running back duo that isn’t spectacular, but certainly isn’t ineffective either.
In other free agent news, the Seahawks continued their busy offseason by inking former Jaguars’ safety Deon Grant. Unlike the Rhodes deal, however, Seattle vastly overpaid for Grant’s services. The Seahawks signed Grant to a six-year deal that could be worth up to $30 million. He also received a signing bonus of over $11.1 million, making him the third-highest paid safety in the NFL. Only Roy Williams (Cowboys) and Ed Reed (Ravens) are making more than Grant at the safety position.
I know this is the offseason craze this year – that is, to overspend because cap room is aplenty – but come on. The third-highest paid safety in the league? Grant is a great leader, has outstanding smarts and certainly will help in coverage, but he’s not sniffing the league’s third-best safety. Off the top of my head: Reed, Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins, Bob Sanders and Sean Taylor are better all-around safeties. Hell, I’d even throw in Kerry Rhodes and Sean Jones based on their age and upside. But hey, this is the way it’s going to be this offseason with teams shelling out boo-co bucks for above average talent. Grant will help, especially after the team lost Ken Hamlin, but not $11.1-million-signing-bonus-help.
