Former Raiders first-rounder returns to NFL after signing with Cowboys

There's a bit of good news for everyone following the Gareon Conley story: he's back in the NFL.

The possibility of the former Raiders' first round pick rejoining an NFL team first came to light last week, when it was reported that he was going to have a try out with the Dallas Cowboys following the end of the UFL season, where he was playing for the DC Defenders. The tryout went pretty well, apparently:

It's been quite the journey for Conley, who played his college ball at Ohio State and was drafted by the Raiders in the 1st round – 24th overall – back in 2017. During his time with the Raiders, he appeared in 23 games, starting 20 of them. He didn't make a huge impact with the team and in 2019, was traded to the Houston Texans. While in Houston, he started 12 of the 14 games, but had his contract option declined in the spring of 2020.

He signed with the Defenders in December of 2023, and was one of the UFL's best corners this past season, playing seven games for DC while finishing with 25, tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.