Raiders Pay Out 2019 Roster Bonuses For Jordy Nelson, Tahir Whitehead, Kyle Wilber & Lee Smith

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Raiders elected to move up the 2019 roster bonuses for WR Jordy Nelson ($3.6M), LB Tahir Whitehead ($3.325M), LB Kyle Wilber ($500k) and TE Lee Smith ($1.1M and paid them out this week, as opposed to next year.

Yates mentions that the Raiders have elected to prorate the bonuses for these four players over 2018 and 2019 instead of carrying them all on the 2019 salary cap.

This is a pretty good indication that all four players will be back with the team next year.

Nelson, 33, is a former second-round pick of the Packers back in 2008. He was entering the final year of his five-year, $43 million contract when the Packers released him back in March.

The Raiders later signed Nelson to a two-year, $15 million contract.

In 2018, Nelson appeared in 14 games for the Raiders and caught 54 passes for 661 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

Whitehead, 28, is a former fifth-round pick of the Lions back in 2012. He has played out his rookie contract before agreeing to a two-year deal worth more than $8M with Detroit back in 2016.

The Raiders signed Whitehead to a three year, $19 million this past March. He stands to make base salaries of $2,950,000 and $5,950,000 over the final two years of the agreement.

In 2018, Whitehead has appeared in 15 games for the Raiders and recorded 117 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and four pass defenses.