AP Photo/Jennifer Stewart
According to reports, K.J. Wright, a Las Vegas Raiders linebacker, was signed by the Raiders. Wright was signed to a one year contract.
Wright informed Josina Anderson, an NFL reporter, that the two sides reached an agreement. The 2016 Pro Bowler was with the Seattle Seahawks for his first 10 NFL seasons.
Wright was initially invited by the Raiders to a meeting in August, but he was not signed. Wright is coming off a strong 2020 campaign, which saw him record 86 tackles as well as two sacks. Wright received a Pro Football Focus grade of 75.3, which was his highest mark since 2015.
Wright's persistence on the open market for so long was surprising. Wright is a productive, healthy player who has played in every season of his career. Teams don't usually rush to sign middle linebackers as they age.
Gus Bradley, Raiders' defensive coordinator, has a history with Wright going back to their time in Seattle. Wright could be able to quickly take over the defense, so it's not likely that Wright will have any difficulties. In January, the Raiders hired Bradley to improve a defense that was ranked among the worst in the NFL since Jon Gruden returned in 2018.
