The Oakland Raiders have re-signed outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to a five-year deal worth $48 million, according to Adam Caplan. Wimbley, who was originally slated to play on the franchise tag with $11.3 million in salary, will now get $29 million in guaranteed money.
Caplan reports that the structure of Wimbley's deal is similar to the deal that Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens signed in 2009. Wimbley is now one of the highest paid linebackers in the league, ranking somewhere in the top five earners at his position. To put things into perspective, Wimbley's new deal will pay him slightly more than the Pittsburgh Steelers' James Harrison, who signed a six-year, $51 million deal in 2009.
The Raiders decided to re-sign Wimbley in order to clear up some cap space. This seems to suggest that the Raiders will be active in the current free agent spending spree, and they may have to be with the recent departure of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. The added financial flexibility provided by this deal should give Oakland a chance to bolster its team.