Donald Penn Agrees To Pay Cut 2 Years After Raiders Offer $21 Million Contract

TheSportster

By Rodrigo Lobato

Published Aug 14, 2018

Donald Penn is just two years into a $21 Million contract with the raiders, but before the 2018-2019 season starts, he has agreed to a pay cut.

After signing a two-year, $21 million extension last September, the Raiders left tackle Donald Penn has agreed to terms on a small pay reduction to remain on the team.

Last week, Penn’s future was still up in the air since the Raiders were asking the tackle to renegotiate his contract; otherwise, there were high chances for him to get traded before the start of the season. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, this week the twelfth-year veteran finally agreed to a restructured contract in which he will receive a pay cut. This new contract comes after Penn and the Raiders agreed to a two-year, $21 million contract extension last year. A deal which included an $8.3 million cap hit in 2018 but no guaranteed money in 2019. However, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that with this newly modified contract Penn will "receive more guaranteed money over the final two years in exchange for accepting new, team-friendly parameters."

The three-time pro-bowler is currently recovering from a Lisfranc surgery he had to undergo on December due to a foot injury he suffered playing against the Dallas Cowboys last season. An injury which broke a streak of 174 straight apparitions, including 170 consecutive starts from 2007 to 2017. Penn is expected to begin practicing soon and play his fifth season with Oakland.

Now that the future of Penn playing for the Raiders next season is assured, the next question is what the Silver and Black will do with their first-round pick—number 15 overall Kolton Miller, who played as Oakland’s left tackle in their first preseason game against the Lions. It is unlikely for the rookie to take Penn’s place, perhaps he would play as a right tackle competing with the veteran Breno Giacomini for the starting position. Nevertheless, considering old-school Jon Gruden's coaching style and the Raiders playing in one of the divisions with the NFL’s top pass rushers, the UCLA product might be coming off the bench this season.

No matter who are the starters in the offensive line of the Raiders next season, with this much talent Derek Carr could have one of the best offensive lines of the league for this year.