It looks like the Raider are working through their upcoming free agent roster one position at a time. Starting with running back.
This week the team locked in Josh Jacobs with the franchise tag. And today they have brought back Ameer Abdullah on a one-year deal as first reported by Pro Football Chase and later confirmed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC Houston among others.
The Raiders re-signed RB Ameer Abdullah to a 1-year deal, per source.
Abdullah, 29, was set to become an unrestricted free-agent. https://t.co/eWvZRtSUmd
— ProFootballChase™️ (@pfootballchase) March 9, 2023
#Raiders have re-signed Ameer Abdullah to a one-year contract, per a league source. Caught 25 passes for 211 yards and one touchdown last season
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 9, 2023
Abdullah’s return is a bit of a surprise considering he was not utilized quite as much last season as expected.
He caught 25 passes, but many of those were dumpoffs on third-and-long with little expectation he would convert it.
To Abdullah’s credit, he also returns kicks and averaged over 20 yards per return.
Most likely, it was a matter of being affordable. If his contract on a return is an easy one, it gets done quickly and keeps him off the market. It doesn’t guarantee he has a spot on the 2023 season roster. If all goes well, he will be have some strong competition for snaps.