One year after signing him to a four-year deal, the Oakland Raiders have decided to part ways with safety Nate Allen after just one season.
ESPN’s Field Yates first reported the news, and then the Raiders confirmed the move on the team’s official website.
Allen played in five games for the Raiders this past season. He totaled 14 tackles (11 solo), one interception and two passes defensed. He missed 11 games and was eventually placed on the IR.
The 2015 season was the first in a four-year deal worth $23 million between Allen and the Raiders. The decision to release Allen will keep the Raiders off the hook for Allen’s cap number, $5 million.
With this move, it’s certainly reasonable to expect that the Raiders will be big players in the 2016 free agent market. Prior to Allen’s release, they were already projected to have more than $74 million in salary cap space.
So, while the decision to sign Allen will not go down as a good one for Reggie McKenzie or the Raiders, the decision to release him after only one year is a good one, as it could serve to help strengthen Oakland’s already improving team.