The Raiders have signed one of their key special teams players to a contract extension.
The team announced Monday it had reached a new three-year contract with reserve cornerback Taiwan Jones, a converted running back who paced the club in special teams tackles (13) in 2013.
Jones’ new deal is for $4.355 million over three years, a league source told PFT’s Mike Florio. All told, he is due $5 million over the next four years, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid special teams players.
Jones, 25, is now signed through 2017.
“It’s a blessing,” said Jones, who attended high school in Antioch, California, in a team-issued press release. “It’s rare to see and to know that my local team wants me to stay home, and it’s just a blessing. I’m glad to be part of it, happy to remain here and there are big things coming that I am happy to be part of it.”
By extending Jones now, the Raiders would seem to be banking on the 6-foot, 197-pound Jones continuing his improvement as a cornerback while remaining a core special teams performer.