Oakland Raiders re-sign Pat Sims
Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Pat Sims (90) defends during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at O.co Coliseum. The Titans defeated the Raiders 23-19. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
It didn’t seem like the Oakland Raiders would re-sign veteran defensive tackle Pat Sims this offseason even after Vance Walker decided to sign with the rival Kansas City Chiefs to replace Tyson Jackson, who signed a big deal with the Atlanta Falcons to fit as a DE in their new 3-4 scheme, as the Raiders made a pretty big splash by signing Antonio Smith. The Raiders defensive line figured to be a strong point going into the 2014 season despite letting Lamarr Houston go, as they added Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, and the underrated Smith.
But the Raiders weren’t done making moves on the defensive line, and they have decided to keep Sims after all. CSN Bay Area’s Scott Bair drew our attention to a tweet from Sims’s agent Rick Smith stating that his client signed a one-year deal with the Raiders.
It’s not surprising to hear that Sims was only able to fetch a one-year deal, and I’m sure he is looking forward to playing well this season and trying to earn some more interest and a solid contract next year. There was extremely little interest in Sims this offseason, as the front seven-needy Tennessee Titans, who are planning to switch to a hybrid 3-4 under Ray Horton, were the only team to meet with him. At 28, Sims was never going to get more than a maximum of two years, so his deal is no surprise.
I thought Sims had a good 2014 season with over 50 tackles, two sacks, and a couple of top-notch performances. He, Smith, and Stacy McGee will form a solid trio of defensive tackles, and this looks like another very nice move for Reggie McKenzie, who definitely made up for his slow start to the free-agent period.