Raiders Star Donald Penn Ends Holdout
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Pro Bowl left tackle Donald Penn has ended his holdout with the Oakland Raiders.
Penn reported for practice on Wednesday after holding out for 26 days. Penn was looking for an improved contract but general manager Reggie McKenzie said earlier in training camp that he would not negotiate a new deal with Penn until he arrived at camp.
The Raiders could have fined Penn $40,000 for each day of camp he missed but the team is not expected to do that.
The 34-year-old Penn is entering the final year of an $11.9 million, two-year contract. He is scheduled to earn $5.8 million in base salary this season with another $1.3 million in incentives and bonuses.
Penn is coming off his second Pro Bowl season after being part of an offensive line that allowed a league-low 18 sacks in 2017. He revitalized his career in Oakland after signing in 2014 following his release from Tampa Bay.
Penn allowed only one sack in 2016, during Week 16 against Indianapolis, but it was a pivotal one: Quarterback Derek Carr suffered a season-ending broken right fibula on the play.
Carr said Tuesday it would mean a lot to have Penn back in uniform.
"He's our teammate," Carr said. "We want all of our teammates here. We want to work hard together, we want to be together, we want to joke together. It's more than just football. We want to be there in his life with him, those kind of things. It would mean a lot and obviously, I would love it."
Penn has been extremely durable in his career and has played all 160 regular-season games since making his debut as an undrafted free agent with Tampa Bay in 2007.
During Penn's absence, free-agent acquisition Marshall Newhouse took over at left tackle. Newhouse was signed to take over at right tackle and will likely move back there now in place of Vadal Alexander.
"He's a true pro," offensive coordinator Todd Downing said. "We saw a good amount of him in the offseason even though we were in pajamas out there. We saw him at right tackle in the offseason. We trust his preparation, his ability and his ability to transfer technique from the left to the right. That's going to be a fluid situation until we get to Tennessee. It may still remain fluid there."
The Raiders are still missing one key piece of the team. First-round pick Gareon Conley remains on the physically unable to perform list with a shin injury suffered during the offseason.
Conley is running out of time to get up to speed for the start of the season, when he was supposed to provide a big boost to a struggling Raiders secondary.
The Raiders waived defensive end Jimmy Bean to make room for Penn on the roster.
