Richie Incognito is back in the NFL.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that the Oakland Raiders are signing the free-agent guard to a one-year contract, per sources informed of the deal. Incognito's agent Ken Sarnoff took to Twitter to announce the signing while the team later confirmed the move.
"Whenever he's been focused on activity solely on the field, he's been fine," Raiders general manager Mike Mayock told reporters. "We've done a one-year, prove-it deal with him and prove it means both on and off the field. OK? There's some expectations he's got to meet in both areas. He turns 36 in July, we think he's going to be a good football player and allow himself to compete for the left guard job and, just as importantly, he's got to prove off the field."
Incognito last played for the Buffalo Bills in 2017. He sat out last season after he retired, came out of retirement, and then was released by the Bills.
The 35-year-old visited Oakland earlier this month but left without a deal.
Incognito started all 16 games in each of the three seasons he played in Buffalo from 2015-2017 and was named to the Pro Bowl each of those campaigns.
The offensive lineman has dealt with a litany of off-field issues, including pleading guilty to disorderly conduct last month following an arrest at an Arizona funeral home after his father's death. The Raiders, however, seem to be comfortable enough with the situation to add Incognito to their interior. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Raiders have not been informed of a potential suspension for Incognito stemming from the incident.
"We've done a lot of homework on him, OK? I've known some of the line coaches he's played for, I've called several people around the league," Mayock said. "I feel comfortable that he's going to compete on the field and I feel comfortable that: A) he wants to compete off the field, and we're going to provide the infrastructure for him so at the end of the day I think it's a two-way street. We got to help him help himself."
When pressed about adding a player with off-the-field issues like Incongnito, Mayock said: "I've talked a lot about foundation. [Head coach Jon Gruden] and I both talk a lot about foundation. I think we reinforced that with our draft. I think at the end of the day, you can't have all boy scouts and what you have to do is you have to do your homework on each individual case and we've done our homework."
