Alex Leatherwood

Leatherwood was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Raiders had two first-round picks in 2020, receiver Henry Ruggs and cornerback Damon Arnette, are both off the roster because of off-field issues. But once the practice work started, it was clear Leatherwood was not a great fit for Josh McDaniels’ offense. Prior to the start of training camp, there was little indication that the new coaching staff had soured this badly on the Alabama product. He was the No. While there have been reports about Leatherwood’s possible release in recent days and he struggled badly in the preseason, it is still a stunning development. ESPN reported that the Raiders are waiving offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood.

The Raiders have waived offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood. Also on Tuesday, the Raiders traded 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen to the Arizona ...

[Dolphins](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/dolphins/), Leatherwood was pushed straight back into third-string quarterback [Nick Mullens](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/nick-mullens-2hwDXToqXMABToUo/), and then on the next play, was too slow on the edge and was run around for a sack. The cornerback was traded to the Cardinals for a 2023 conditional seventh-round pick (that can become a sixth-rounder). [Week 2 of this preseason](https://theathletic.com/3527224/2022/08/23/preseason-analysis-christian-kirk-isaiah-likely-dolphins/) against the [Dolphins](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/dolphins/). That means former Patriot [Jermaine Eluemunor](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/jermaine-eluemunor-xuVuILUVAvYB7L8i/) will start the season opener if the Raiders don’t make a trade or find a starter off waivers. Considered a reach when former head coach Jon Gruden and former general manager Mike Mayock took him in the first round (both said that offensive line coach Tom Cable pounded the table insisting they draft him), Leatherwood worked hard all offseason and was in great shape coming into training camp. Last year, the first-round pick was moved from right tackle to right guard but the new regime never considered that — it was telling that as they stressed versatility and other offensive linemen moved around from spot to spot, the new coaches never put Leatherwood at guard.

The Raiders are bailing on the Alex Leatherwood experiment after one season. Despite going in the 2021 first round, Leatherwood will be waived Tuesday, ...

The new Raiders front office also did not pick up the fifth-year options on fellow 2019 first-rounders [Josh Jacobs](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JacoJo01.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) and [Johnathan Abram](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AbraJo01.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-). After the team traded Reggie McKenzie-era first-rounders [Khalil Mack](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MackKh00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) and [Amari Cooper](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CoopAm00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) and accumulated first-round capital, there is little to show for those moves. Ex-Patriot spot starter [Jermaine Eluemunor](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElueJe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) has been a big factor at right tackle, while [Lester Cotton](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CottLe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) — a UDFA who has played in five career games and never started any — has worked as the team’s starting right guard. Although [Andre James](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JameAn01.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) is fairly established at center, though his extension was authorized by the Jon Gruden regime, the team has glaring issues on the right side of its O-line. [Alex Leatherwood](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LeatAl00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) experiment after one season. [Clelin Ferrell](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FerrCl00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) has long been shifted to a backup role, and his status with the Raiders is tenuous. [Henry Ruggs](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RuggHe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) and [Damon Arnette](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/ArneDa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) are gone. [Kolton Miller](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MillKo00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), the Raiders bring question marks at their other spots. The Raiders quickly moved Leatherwood to right guard last season, and Pro Football Focus viewed the Alabama product as one of the league’s worst guard regulars. While that can be spread through 2023, with $7.9MM staying on Vegas’ payroll this year, the defrayed signing bonus hits will lead to one of the bigger dead-cap hits on a rookie contract in recent memory. A move back to tackle did not take. The Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels regime will cut bait despite three seasons remaining on his rookie contract.](https://cdn.profootballrumors.com/files/2021/10/USATSI_16764209.jpg)

Leatherwood is the latest in a string of failed first-round picks by the previous regime of head coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Mike Mayock. Receiver ...

[Clelin Ferrell](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/50332/clelin-ferrell), safety [Johnathan Abram](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/51605/johnathan-abram), and running back [Josh Jacobs](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/51376/josh-jacobs) — all remain with the team. The trio of 2019 first-round picks — defensive end But he was moved to guard during the season after struggling on the outside. Leatherwood is the latest in a string of failed first-round picks by the previous regime of head coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Mike Mayock. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted the Raiders tried to trade Leatherwood to every team but all they heard back was no. But he didn’t stick at any position and now Las Vegas has elected to cut ties and move on.

Even though he was a consensus All-American at Alabama, many draft experts expected Leatherwood to last until at least Day 2, but the Raiders called his name ...

[Schefter](https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1564686650151780353). [Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-regrading-2021-nfl-draft-classes-miami-dolphins-dallas-cowboys) graded Leatherwood as the second-worst starting guard in the NFL last year, and [Vic Tafur](https://theathletic.com/3468242/2022/08/01/raiders-training-camp-lester-cotton/) of The Athletic reported Aug. 17 pick, Leatherwood signed a four-year deal worth [$14.4 million](https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/alex-leatherwood-72397/). Though he began last season as the starting right tackle, it was clearly not a long-term fit. [Adam Schefter](https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1564685418951581699). [Ian Rapoport](https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1564685851862437888) of NFL Network.

The arrival of NFL roster cutdown day means hundreds of players getting cut loose from their teams. It's not often that one of them was a first-round draft ...

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Despite most draft profiles on Leatherwood being a guard at NFL level, he didn't fair well there either. This offseason, reports had him working hard to be the ...

This offseason, reports had him working hard to be the team’s right tackle this season. And just like that, Alex Leatherwood’s time with the Raiders is done. He was supposed to be the answer at right tackle to replace Trent Brown, but after just four games at that spot, he played so poorly, that he was moved inside to guard.

The Raiders waived 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood on Tuesday, giving NFL teams a chance to claim a left tackle that starred at Alabama alongside ...

Leatherwood wasn't a fit in Las Vegas, but for a team like the Patriots that really needs offensive tackle depth, it might be worth taking a gamble on the 2021 first-rounder. Any team that claims Leatherwood would owe him $5.9 million in guaranteed money over the next three years. New England head coach Bill Belichick and Alabama head coach Nick Saban also have a close relationship. The NFL deadline for teams to trim their rosters from 80 players to 53 is 4 p.m. "And being a smart player. Leatherwood was a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Raiders in last year's draft.

NFL cutdown arrived with a former Alabama player being released by the Raiders, and a former Raider set to join the Ravens.

The expectation was the Ravens would sign him if “all goes well.” The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract in Buffalo during the offseason. The Buffalo Bills made a surprise cut when they let go former Crimson Tide tight end O.J. [Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/ultimate-alabama-crimson-tide-players-nfl-database) [Tracking Active Alabama Crimson Players in the NFL](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/tracking-active-alabama-crimson-players-in-the-nfl) [Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL: Breakdown by Team](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/alabama-crimson-tide-players-in-the-nfl-breakdown-by-team) [Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL by Position](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/active-alabama-crimson-tide-players-in-the-nfl-by-position) [All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/all-time-alabama-crimson-tide-players-nfl) [All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL By Team](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/all-time-alabama-crimson-tide-players-in-nfl-by-team) [Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/former-alabama-crimson-tide-players-selected-nfl-draft) [All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players Drafted by Round](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/all-time-alabama-crimson-tide-players-drafted-by-round) [NFL Draft: All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Selections by NFL Teams](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/nfl-draft-all-time-alabama-crimson-tide-selections-by-nfl-teams) [Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft by Position](https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/alabama-crimson-tide-players-selected-nfl-draft-by-position) [Ian Rapoport](https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1564557429685293059?s=20&t=VP9OVtu5GI9DOjx91Sf4MA) of the NFL Network reported that the Baltimore Ravens will be hosting Drake on a free-agent visit on Tuesday. Drake was to start the second year of a two-year, $11 million contract with the Raiders, after signing as a free agent.

Today was an important day in the NFL as the deadline was met for teams to trim their rosters down to 53 men. The New York Giants cut their roster down,

The Giants could take a flier on Leatherwood and hope to develop him into a quality backup. He failed to establish himself as a quality starter as a rookie, but many are surprised to see the Raiders give up on the 23-year-old before he enters his second season. The Giants could consider putting a claim in on Alex Leatherwood to acquire tackle depth.

Alex Leatherwood will now have to look somewhere else to play after the Las Vegas Raiders made him among their final roster cut casualties.

The 6-5 Alex Leatherwood played in 96.93 percent of total defensive Raiders snaps in his rookie year but struggled mightily on the field. The Raiders had high hopes for him when they used their 17th pick overall to take him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but they seemingly had lost patience in waiting for him to fulfill the lofty promise he carried over from his days in college with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Unfortunately for them, all they got was the feeling of getting rejected 32 times, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

The Bears claimed offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood off waivers from the Raiders on Wednesday.

The Chicago Bears have claimed former Las Vegas Raiders first-round offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood, who lasted just one year in Las Vegas before ...

The rebuilding team will take a chance on the former Alabama prospect. Leatherwood's signing bonus is the Raiders' responsibility, leaving considerable dead ...

The Bears were the NFL's most active team on the waiver wire. Chicago claimed six players who were cut by other teams yesterday: Offensive lineman Alex ...

The Chicago Bears are taking a flier on a young offensive lineman who was drafted in the first round just last year, as CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan ...

The Bears had interest in Leatherwood during the 2021 NFL Draft, but they moved up in the first round for Justin Fields. They ended up selecting Teven Jenkins ...