As the Raiders officially begin training camp with veterans reporting to the team facility on Wednesday, a pair of Pro Bowlers showed up seeking a pay raise.
Raiders tight end Darren Waller and linebacker Denzel Perryman are looking to get new contracts, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Ian Rapoport reported on ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNOW Wednesday, per a source.
Rapoport added that Waller and the Raiders have had conversations about a new contract, and him reporting to the facility Wednesday was an obvious good sign.
Waller signed a four-year, $29.8 million extension with the Raiders in 2019 and has vastly outplayed that contract ever since. Regarded as one of the NFL's best pass-catching tight ends, Waller is second only to Travis Kelce in receptions (252) and receiving yards (3,006) at the position the past three seasons. Being a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses and having a great rapport with quarterback Derek Carr only raises Waller's value in Las Vegas.
With key Raiders earning big contracts recently, including wide receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, Waller is the latest player looking to get paid. Waller has spoken publicly about handling his contract situation the right way, according to Rapoport, who adds that the 29-year-old recently hired a new agent in Damarius Bilbo (Klutch Sports).
Perryman, on the other hand, is coming off a successful first season with the Raiders in 2021, earning his first Pro Bowl honor after leading the team with a career-high 154 tackles. The seven-year veteran landed in Las Vegas during training camp last season following a trade with the Panthers, who had signed Perryman to a two-year deal just a few months prior.
Perryman, like Waller, also avoided any holdout situation by reporting to camp on Wednesday, though Perryman declined to get into any specifics about his contract.
"I knew that was coming," Perryman said with a smile. "Let me answer that question: My agent Ron Butler is handling that. I just want to play football. That's it. I was waiting on it. That's why I'm sweating. I was waiting on it."
Avoiding any potential distractions would be ideal as the Raiders begin a new era under head coach Josh McDaniels. The talented roster proved its mettle after weathering the storm of a tumultuous 2021 season that ended with a surprising playoff appearance, and there's no doubting Waller and Perryman were essential to that success.
