This time a year ago, Donald Penn was holding out on the Raiders for more money. This year, it’s the Raiders that are apparently putting the squeeze back on Penn.
According to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders are asking the veteran left tackle, who is currently still on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform list, to take a pay cut.
Considering the uncertainty around his injury and the fact that Kolton Miller is playing well in training camp so far, it should surprise no one that Penn may have to take a pay cut to remain with the Raiders. The only surprise might be that the ultimatum is coming so quickly because the Raiders could maximize their leverage by approaching Penn closer to the beginning of the season when he would have a greater challenger finding a new team.
Thanks to his holdout last year, Penn is guaranteed $3 million from the Raiders this year whether he’s on the roster or not. But there’s another $5.35 million on Penn’s deal that the Raiders seem to be actively trying to avoid – at least in part.
For what it’s worth, the Raiders would gain valuable cap space by releasing Penn that would at least raise the odds a little that the team would be able to fit a new deal with Khalil Mack under this year’s salary cap.
Similar to the way the Raiders dealt with Penn’s holdout a year ago, general manager Reggie McKenzie is reportedly not negotiating with Mack while he is holding out.
twitter: @raidersbeat
So we pay Robert’s, Giacomini and gave lynch a raise. We choose Irvin over Mack and payed Justin Ellis whom seems to be way overp payed considering the new additions to DL in Hurst and hall and Edward’s switch to 3 tech. Never sign those guys and Mack and Bowman would be in camp