Raiders Officially Release S Tyvon Branch

Update:

The Oakland Raiders announced that they’ve officially released S Tyvon Branch.

The Raiders have released safety Tyvon Branch.

— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) March 3, 2015

Reports first surfaced that the Raiders were releasing Branch last Friday.

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Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that the Oakland Raiders are releasing S Tyvon Branch.

• La Canfora adds that Branch should have a “very hot” market in the coming weeks due to a weak safety market.
• According to La Canfora, Branch’s market should develop rather quickly.
• Ian Rapoport reports that NFL teams knew Branch was getting released and there is already interest in him.

Oakland reportedly met with Branch’s representatives at the Scouting Combine, so the idea that he could be a cap casualty had come up in recent weeks.

One speculative option for the Branch could the Baltimore Ravens, who had interest in him a few years ago and have a tendency to target released veterans given that they don’t count against compensatory picks.

Branch, 28, had another three years remaining on his contract, which includes base salaries of $5.5 million (2015), $6.5 million (2016), and $6.5 million (2017). He had the highest cap figure on the team at $9.657 million to go along with a $1 million roster bonus due on March 12.

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing him frees up $2.986 million in available cap space while creating $6.671 million in dead money.

Last year, Branch appeared in three games and recorded 29 tackles, one sack and a pass defense for the Raiders’ defense.