Raiders’ Denzel Perryman focused on football, not contract

The perspiration pouring from linebacker Denzel Perryman as he stood at the podium at the Raiders facility on Monday was the result of more than just the beanie he was wearing in the sweltering July heat.

Reports surfaced just before he entered the room that he was one of two prominent starters seeking a contract extension.

When Perryman was asked whether the reports were accurate, he was ready.

“I was waiting on that,” he said with laugh. “That’s why I’m sweating.”

Perryman signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Panthers before last season and was traded to the Raiders during training camp. He had the best year of his career and will hit the market after this season unless an extension gets done, so it would make sense to be seeking a deal at this time.

The 29-year-old certainly didn’t deny the report.

“To answer that question, my agent Ron Butler is handling that,” he said. “I just want to play football.”

He did that at a high level last season, finishing sixth in the league with a career-high 154 tackles despite missing two games.

Reports also indicated tight end Darren Waller is seeking a new deal, though his situation is different. Waller has established himself as clearly one of the top five players at his position in the league even though his compensation is in the middle of the pack. Waller, however, has two years left on his current contract.

Paying it forward

John Simpson has had plenty of help from his veteran teammates as he has adjusted to the NFL game in his first two seasons.

Left tackle Kolton Miller and recently retired guard Richie Incognito were both instrumental in his development, particularly Incognito as he played in just two games the last two seasons due to injury.

“He always stayed on us, especially the guards,” Simpson said of Incognito. “He helped us whenever we needed help, not as a coach but really a big brother in a sense. He was always positive. Whether it was a good play or a bad play, he was always able to remain steady. He was never super mean and never super-nice, he just let us know what we needed to do to make it better.”

Now that Simpson has been around for awhile, it’s his turn to share some of that knowledge, even with a rookie like Dylan Parham who may be competing for his job at some point.

“He’s got a lot of upside,” Simpson said. “He doesn’t really talk a lot. But I do everything I can to try to help him be the best player he can be. It’s competition, but he’s still like a brother to me.”

Moving on

Former UNLV and NFL star Randall Cunningham has resigned as the Raiders’ team chaplain after two seasons, according to his Facebook page.

Cunningham, the Pastor and CEO of Remnant Ministries in Las Vegas, said he made the decision after praying on it.

“I thank Jon Gruden for the opportunity to be involved,” he wrote. “It’s just time to move on.”

Transactions

Safety Dallin Leavitt was released on on Wednesday’s veteran reporting day, ending his four-year stint with the organization.

The team also released guard Jordan Meredith and signed defensive back Isiah Brown.

Leavitt was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018 after finishing his collegiate career at Utah State.

The 27-year-old played in 42 games over four seasons and made his only career start late last season in a home game against the Denver Broncos.

“These last four years have been the dream I’ve been chasing since I was six years old,” he wrote on Instagram. “I want to say thank you to my teammates, coaches and Raider Nation over the years. Made some relationships that will last a lifetime and am going to truly miss my teammates here in Vegas.”

Brown played for the New Orleans Breakers in the USFL this season, intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown. He signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after a collegiate career at Florida International, but decided to briefly retire from football during training camp.

Meredith was signed in February after spending last offseason with the Rams.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.