Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

First reported on Friday night the Oakland Raiders have confirmed the signing reserve defensive end Dave Tollefson. For the Bay Area native has followed a long and winding road home. This will be Tollefson’s second stint as a Raider, this time around he’s sure to see much more action.

Previously Tollefson was on Oakland’s practice squad before the opportunity of a lifetime came calling in the form of a spot on the New York Giants 53-man roster. From there Tollefson was a key defensive reserve on two Super Bowl champion teams.

For the Raiders he’ll add depth and versatility. Typically Tollefson will line up at end but he’s capable of playing along the D-line and can play some linebacker if needed.

The details on Tollefson’s deal are a reported two-year contract valued between $1.5-3 million.

Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger via US PRESSWIRE

Nothing official yet from the Raiders but Steve Corkran reports its all a formality that the team and defensive end Dave Tollefson have come to terms on a deal. Jason La Confora says the deal is a two-year contract worth $3-million for the one-time Raider. This move has been rumored for a couple weeks now and seemed likely after his visit this week.

Tollefson’s unreal football odyssey had a brief stop in Oakland where he was on the practice squad back in 2007. After playing in NFL Europe, the New York Giants picked up the versatile defender where he provided valuable depth on two Super Bowl champion teams.

But that is not even half the story of how the Walnut Creek native made his way to the NFL.

Reggie McKenzie was one of the first to see talent in Tollefson. As a part of the Packers organization McKenzie likely evaluated Tollefson who became a 7^th round pick out of Northwest Missouri State. A year on the Green Bay practice squad then another in Oakland with stops in NFL Europe between might have deterred many. Tollefson stuck with it and finally stuck on an NFL roster in New York.

While the story is a great and his connection to the Raider franchise is nice, Tollefson’s real benefit will be his ability to play multiple positions. For the Giants he played along the D-line and outside linebacker. For the Raiders he’ll likely be a Jarvis Moss type that will fill in along the line. Tollefson is a solid pass rusher that recorded 5 of his 10 career sacks in 2011.