Thursday, the Raiders locked up Derek Carr for the next six years on a contract making him the highest paid player in NFL history. Getting that contract done was the Raiders’ top priority this offseason. Now their focus shifts to another key extension.
Carr wasn’t the only valuable Raiders player entering the final year of his rookie contract. The man they took in the round after him is in the same boat.
Gabe Jackson was the team’s third round pick. Just like Carr, he was implanted as a starter from day one. Last season, with the addition of Kelechi Osemele, he moved from left guard to right guard and didn’t miss a beat, becoming a Pro Bowl alternate while not giving up a sack and helping the Raiders become the league’s sixth ranked rushing team.
In a conversation with Sirius XM NFL radio, Reggie McKenzie included Jackson in the conversation with Carr as being a top priority to re-sign.
This isn’t ignoring Khalil Mack. But as the first round pick in that draft, he had a fifth round option which the Raiders exercised, giving him two more years on his rookie deal. Next offseason they can focus on making Mack perhaps the highest paid non-QB.
There isn’t expected to be the same record-breaking type of deal for Gabe Jackson. He may not even become the highest paid at his position. The highest paid guard in the league is Kevin Zeitler at $12 million per season. Next up is Jackson’s line mate, Kelechi Osemele at $11.7 million. Osemele’s deal was the biggest when it was signed last offseason.
A deal at around $9 million per season would put Jackson among the top five right guards. That doesn’t seem out of line for his services.
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