The Las Vegas Raiders‘ training camp is officially underway, as the team enjoyed its first practice of the new season on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, the front office made some moves to shore up their defense, signing a pair of safeties, former All-Pro Jamal Adams and JT Woods, to come and help out in their secondary.
As it turns out, those may not be the only two moves the Raiders are plotting as they get into their training camp action. Shortly after the signings of Adams and Woods were reported, the team also reportedly brought a veteran defensive tackle with ties to new head coach Pete Carroll into town for a workout.
Jefferson initially broke into the NFL back in 2016 as a fifth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks. It took a while, but Jefferson eventually became a key piece of the team’s defensive line, playing at several different spots in their front seven before he eventually departed at the conclusion of the 2019 campaign.
Since leaving the Seahawks, Jefferson has bounced around the league, spending time with the Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns. He also spent another season with Seattle in 2022, and he latched on with the Bills for the end of the 2024 season before hitting the open market once again.
With training camp approaching, interest in Jefferson has increased, with Carroll being interested in reuniting with his former player. While no deal has been signed, Jefferson was brought to town for a workout, indicating that there could be a contract getting hammered out in the near future as Las Vegas looks to potentially beef up its interior defensive line.
“Raiders also worked out DT Quinton Jefferson,” Ryan McFadden of ESPN reported on Tuesday.
Should the Raiders Sign Quinton Jefferson?
GettyThe Raiders brought Quinton Jefferson in for a workout after signing Jamal Adams and JT Woods
The signings of Adams and Woods should provide some competition in the secondary, but the defensive line could still use some reinforcements. Christian Wilkins is still dealing with a bothersome foot injury that could force him to miss time to start the season, and Adam Butler missed OTAs due to personal reasons. While Butler should be good to go come Week 1, Wilkins’ status is a real question mark, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add some depth at this spot.
Jefferson didn’t make a massive impact in 2024, as he racked up 14 tackles and two sacks over 12 games with the Browns and Bills. However, his familiarity with Carroll and his defensive system could make him a veteran worth bringing in on a cheap deal for training camp to see if he’s got anything left in the tank.
For now, no deal is in place, but Jefferson certainly could be a strong fit with the Raiders given their needs and his experience with Carroll, meaning it ultimately wouldn’t be a surprise if a deal came together in the near future.
