Aug. 5, 2011
GUTIERREZ ARCHIVE
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Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia.com
This should soothe the spirit of those in Raider Nation who felt spurned earlier this week - Oakland has signed tight end Kevin Boss to a reported four-year, 16-million contract to replace Pro Bowler Zach Miller, who left as a free agent for Seattle on Tuesday.
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Boss, 27, and an unrestricted free agent who played the past four seasons with the New York Giants and won a Super Bowl as a rookie, worked out for the Raiders in Napa on Wednesday. He worked on blocking drills, ran route and caught passes from undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Jordan La Secla under the watchful eyes of first-year coach Hue Jackson and quarterback Jason Campbell, who is familiar with Boss from his NFC East days with Washington.REWIND: Day after Miller bolts, TE Boss visits Raiders
Raiders defense line coach Mike Waufle has a connection with Boss as well as the Giants' former D-line coach.
"Obviously, Mike had a lot of glowing things to say about him andwatching videotape of him, he has some characteristics that we're looking for," Jackson said on Wednesday. "He's a big guy. He's 6-6, 254 (pounds)"
Boss has caught 119 passes for 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns. Last year, he averaged 15.2 yards on his 35 receptions.
NFL
Plus, over the past three seasons combined, 25.5 percent of his receptions went for at least 20 yards and 14.6 percent of his catches were touchdowns in that same span, according to fftoolbox.com.
Boss is, however, coming off January surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip, a malady that has bothered him since his college days at Western Oregon.
Miller is seen as the better pass catcher, while Boss is considered a superior blocker and, with a two-inch height advantage, a bigger target.
"He definitely has a lot of sizeplayed in a lot of games, he's played in a Super Bowl," Campbell said. "He has a lot of experience"
The Raiders entered Thursday anywhere from 10 million to 17 million over the NFL-mandated 120-million salary cap. But they were able to create space by reportedly restructuring the big-money deals of defensive tackle Richard Seymour and cornerback Stanford Routt, getting some 17.2 million in room. The Raiders also re-did Kamerion Wimbleys deal, getting him off the 11.3-million franchise tag.
Miller signed a five-year, 34-million contract with Seattle, with 17 million guaranteed. He told CSN California the Raiders has presented him an offer but would not elaborate on any specifics. Miller did acknowledge that the presence of former coach Tom Cable in Seattle was a tipping point.