The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent RB Brandon Bolden, the club announced Thursday.
Bolden joins the Silver and Black after spending eight years with the New England Patriots (2012-17, 19-21) and one season with the Miami Dolphins (2018), helping New England to eight postseason appearances and two Super Bowl titles. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound running back has appeared in 131 games with nine starts over his career, totaling 283 carries for 1,297 yards with 12 touchdowns and adding 100 receptions for 902 yards with six touchdowns. In postseason action, he has played in 17 games with two starts, recording 12 carries for 46 yards with one TD and eight receptions for 64 yards.
In 2021, Bolden played in all 17 games with one start, finishing with 44 carries for 226 yards with one touchdown and 41 receptions for 405 yards with two touchdowns. He set career highs with receptions (41) and receiving yards (405), while tying a career high with receiving touchdowns (two).
A native of Baton Rouge, La., Bolden played four seasons (2008-11) at Mississippi. Bolden finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history in total touchdowns (33) and rushing touchdowns (27), third in all-purpose yards (3,681) and fourth in rushing yards (2,604).
The Las Vegas Raiders have acquired CB Rock Ya-Sin via a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, the club announced Thursday. As part of the trade terms, Las Vegas will send DE Yannick Ngakoue to the Colts.
Ya-Sin has spent the past three seasons with the Colts after being drafted by the club in the second round (34th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Over his career, Ya-Sin has appeared in 41 games with 30 starts, totaling 136 tackles (115 solo), two interceptions, 20 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
In 2021, Ya-Sin played in 13 games with eight starts, finishing with 31 tackles (27), eight passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. His eight passes defensed marked a single-season career high and tied for second on the team.
A native of Decatur, Ga., Ya-Sin played in 45 games with 35 starts between his time at Presbyterian College (2015-17) and Temple (2018), recording 142 tackles, seven interceptions, 31 passes defensed and three fumble recoveries. As a senior in 2018, he was named a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection after recording 47 tackles (36) and 12 passes defensed in his lone season at Temple.
Ngakoue has appeared in 95 games with 87 starts in his six-year career with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-19), Minnesota Vikings (2020), Baltimore Ravens (2020) and Raiders (2021), recording 173 tackles (145), 55.5 sacks, two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 13 passes defensed, 20 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In his lone season with the Raiders, Ngakoue started all 17 games and finished with 28 tackles (17), 10 sacks, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent OL Alex Bars, the club announced Thursday.
Bars joins the Raiders after spending the past three years with the Chicago Bears, who originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Over his career, he has appeared in 38 games with 13 starts.
In 2021, the 6-foot-5, 334-pound offensive lineman played in all 17 games with five starts, helping pave the way for 118.7 rushing yards per game.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Bars played three seasons (2016-18) at Notre Dame, appearing in 36 games with 32 starts at right tackle, right guard and left guard over his collegiate career. As a junior in 2018, Bars earned Sporting News All-American First Team honors.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent FB Jakob Johnson, the club announced Thursday.
Johnson spent the past three years with the New England Patriots (2019-21) after joining the club as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, having spent time with the Stuttgart Scorpions of the German Football League in 2018. Over his NFL career, Johnson has appeared in 37 games with 20 starts, recording 13 receptions for 83 yards with one touchdown.
In 2021, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound fullback played in all 17 games with six starts, totaling four receptions for 43 yards. Johnson’s blocking helped pave the way for 124.4 rushing yards per game, which ranked eighth in the NFL.
A native of Stuttgart, Germany, Johnson played four seasons at Tennessee (2014-17). Beginning his collegiate career as a linebacker before transitioning to tight end as a sophomore, Johnson appeared in 47 games, recording three receptions for 23 yards, 24 tackles on defense and two kickoff returns for 25 yards.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent CB Darius Phillips, the club announced Thursday.
Phillips, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound cornerback, joins the Silver and Black after spending his first four years with the Cincinnati Bengals, who originally drafted him in the fifth round (170th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Phillips has appeared in 47 games with 10 starts, totaling 66 tackles (56 solo), five interceptions, 23 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Additionally, Phillips recorded 30 punt returns for 209 yards and 25 kickoff returns for 542 yards.
In 2021, Phillips played in 12 games, serving as the club’s primary punt returner and appearing in a reserve role on defense. Phillips finished with 25 punt returns for 177 yards, both marking career highs, and added eight kickoff returns for 169 yards.
A native of Detroit, Mich., Phillips spent five years (2013-17) at Western Michigan, playing in 51 games and totaling 127 tackles, 47 passes defensed, 12 interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Phillips recorded 14 touchdowns in five different ways in his collegiate career (five kickoff returns, one punt return, five interceptions, one fumble recovery and two receiving), setting the FBS career record with 12 total return touchdowns.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent LB Chandler Jones, the club announced Thursday.
Jones enters his 11th NFL season and first with the Raiders, having previously spent six years with the Arizona Cardinals (2016-21) and four seasons with the New England Patriots (2012-15). The Patriot’s 2012 first-round draft pick (21st overall) is a four-time Pro Bowler (2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021) and a two-time Associated Press All-Pro First Team selection (2017 and 2019).
Over his career, Jones has played in 139 games with 136 starts, totaling 473 tackles (331 solo), 107.5 sacks, one interception, 27 passes defensed, 33 forced fumbles and 10 fumble recoveries. He leads the NFL in sacks (107.5) and forced fumbles (33) since entering the league in 2012.
Last season, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound linebacker started all 15 games he appeared in, recording 41 tackles (31), 10.5 sacks, four passes defensed, six forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. His 10.5 sacks ranked second on the team and marked the seventh season in which Jones has recorded double-digit sacks.
Jones holds the Cardinals’ top-two single-season performances by a pass rusher, registering 19 sacks in 2019 and 17 sacks in 2017, and leaves Arizona as the club’s all-time leader in sacks (71.5) and forced fumbles (23). Additionally, Jones recorded the club’s top-two single-season marks in forced fumbles with eight in 2019 and six in 2021.
A native of Endicott, N.Y., Jones played in 32 games with 28 starts at Syracuse (2008-11). During his collegiate career, Jones recorded 147 tackles, 10 sacks, one interception, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery and was named a first-team All-Big East selection as a junior in 2011.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent WR Mack Hollins, the club announced Thursday.
Hollins enters his sixth NFL season and first with the Raiders after making stops with the Miami Dolphins (2019-21) and Philadelphia Eagles (2017-19). Hollins, who was originally drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft, has appeared in 65 games with eight starts and totaled 56 receptions for 750 yards with six touchdowns over his career.
Last season, the 6-foot-4, 221-pound wide receiver played in all 17 games with three starts, recording 14 receptions for 223 yards with four touchdowns. He set career highs in receiving yards (223) and touchdowns (four) in 2021.
A Native of Rockville, Md., Hollins was a four-year letterman (2013-16) and three-year starter at North Carolina. He appeared in 47 career games with 18 starts, finishing with 81 receptions for 1,667 yards with 20 touchdowns.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent DT Bilal Nichols, the club announced Thursday.
Nichols, a 6-foot-4, 302-pound defensive tackle, joins the Silver and Black after spending his first four years with the Chicago Bears, who originally drafted him in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 60 games with 49 starts, recording 146 tackles (77 solo), 11 sacks, one interception, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
In 2021, Nichols appeared in 17 games with 15 starts, posting 51 tackles (26), three sacks, one pass defense and two fumble recoveries. His 51 tackles and two fumble recoveries both marked career highs.
A native of Newark, Del., Nichols played four seasons (2014-17) at Delaware. He played in 44 career games with 21 starts, totaling 104 tackles (50), 9.5 sacks, two interceptions, 15 passes defensed and four forced fumbles and was named a third-team All-American and first-team All-CAA honors as a senior.
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent CB Anthony Averett, the club announced Thursday.
Averett spent the past four years with the Baltimore Ravens (2018-21) after being drafted by the club in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Over his career, Averett has played in 44 games with 42 starts and totaled 97 tackles (83 solo), three interceptions and 22 passes defensed.
Last season, the 5-foot-11, 178-pound cornerback started all 14 games he appeared in during a breakout season. Averett set single-season career highs in tackles (53), interceptions (three) and passes defensed (11) in 2021.
A native of Woodbury, N.J., Averett played in 36 games with 27 starts at Alabama, recording 98 tackles (71), two sacks, one interception, 16 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. During his three years at Alabama, Averett helped the Crimson Tide win two National Championships (2015 and 2017).