The Raiders are in a wheeling-dealing mood.
Oakland has agreed to trade veteran starting left guard Kelechi Osemele and a 2019 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft, NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones reported on Sunday. ESPN first reported the trade.
The deal is not official on Wednesday, when the NFL ushers in its new calendar year.
News of Osemele, a two-time former Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, departing Oakland comes less than 24 hours after troubled-but-ultra-talented receiver Antonio Brown garnered headlines with the announcement of a deal to send him to the Raiders from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a third- and fifth-round pick.
For a fifth-round pick, the Jets will continue to build around quarterback Sam Darnold by adding a valuable cog to the interior of the offensive line — where he’ll replace James Carpenter.
Under contract for two more years, Osemele, a seven-year veteran who will be 30 next season, will count for $10.2 million against the salary cap in the upcoming campaign, according to Over the Cap.
The Raiders will save that sum, which was likely a contributing factor considering the Brown deal, which also isn’t official until Wednesday.
Due to toe and knee injuries, Osemele missed five games in 2018, started in all 11 he played and was a three-year starter for the Silver and Black, highlighted by his All-Pro year of 2016. He spent his first four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, beginning as a right tackle and then moving to guard, where he’s played mostly on the left side.