HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 27: Lamarcus Joyner #29 and Josh Mauro #97 of the Oakland Raiders jog off the field before a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Houston, Texas. The Texans defeated the Raiders 27-24. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The Raiders have decided to release Lamarcus Joyner to free up some cap space ahead of free agency.
The Las Vegas Raiders are one of many NFL teams looking to free up cap space ahead of free agency. That means starters and even fan favorites may end up being salary-cap casualties.
Lamarcus Joyner can be added to that list now that the Raiders are reportedly releasing him and his hefty salary.
Las Vegas moves on from Joyner to save money
Joyner signed with the organization before the 2019 season on a four-year, $42 million deal. The team determined that saving nearly $9 million in 2021 was worth letting a starter hit the open market.
The veteran played in 14 games in both 2019 and 2020 for the Raiders. He was on the field often, but didn’t warrant a $10 million salary in a year when teams are forced to be very picky with the payroll. Joyner is going to have no issue finding another team.
This release is another reminder of how the Raiders failed to make a true splash in free agency back in 2019. The hype was real that year with the signing of Antonio Brown and Joyner was a part of that class as well. Now the Raiders are looking for a reset and could even be freeing up space to pursue a blockbuster trade for a quarterback.
Joyner and the entire Las Vegas defense were not at expected levels under Paul Guenther. That got the defensive coordinator fired and Jon Gruden will soon be running out of excuses if players and coaches keep coming to join the Raiders and nothing changes.
Joyner not making one single interceptions in his two seasons with the team was not what either side had in mind. But the former safety was moved into a cornerback role and a split is likely best for his own career as well.