Las Vegas Raiders made the right move locking up Carlson and Cole
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders had some big names entering free agency this offseason, but two they can cross off the list are Daniel Carlson and A.J. Cole.
While the Las Vegas Raiders have had quite the roller coaster of a season, whether it has been on the field, or off of it, there have been two players who have been consistently good all year long. For Las Vegas, these two young players have grown into top guys at their respective position groups, and have played key roles in all six of the team’s wins.
No, we are not talking about a defensive star or even an offensive guy, but special teams players in kicker Daniel Carlson and punter A.J. Cole. We recently wrote how these two were must-signs for the Silver and Black next offseason, but we will not have to wait for that, as the organization locked them up long-term on Wednesday night.
For both special teams stars, the deals were for four years, and they ensure that this most-important duo will be together as the franchise tries to get back to being a perennial playoff contender for the first time since the turn of the century.
Raiders have developing stars in Carlson and Cole
Carlson has been absolute money for the Silver and Black this season, nailing 50-plus yard field goals at a record pace, and really hitting clutch kick after clutch kick. Cole has been an incredible find as an undrafted free agent and currently leads the NFL in punt yardage.
![Dec 5, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) talks with Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Sweeney before the game ]against the Washington Football Team Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fjustblogbaby-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F17299283-850x560-84604d727623483254669a7508193ee45b3ffabfb955f64a82ae5fe287b3c880.jpg "Dec 5, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) talks with Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Sweeney before the game ]against the Washington Football Team Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports")
Overall, this is a great night to be a Raiders fan, as Cole and Carlson are two guys who needed to be a part of the solution for this franchise going forward. Las Vegas has a lot of work to do in terms of the roster heading into next season, but one thing is now certain, they have elite players in place at both kicker and punter for the foreseeable future.