Raiders add a running back in free agency
The Raiders added more depth and competition at running back on Friday with the free-agent signing of Ameer Abdullah.
The eight-year veteran played last year with the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings. He finished with 136 yards on 44 carries and 35 catches for 272 yards and a touchdown.
A second-round pick in 2015 by the Lions, where he played four years, Abdullah has also played four seasons with the Vikings before joining the Panthers for six games last season.
For his career, Abdullah has 1,574 yards and six touchdowns as a runner to go with 119 catches for 865 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Raiders have beefed up their running back position through free agency with the addition of Abdullah, Brandon Bolden and fullback Jakob Johnson. They join holdovers Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.
Interestingly, the newcomers range in size and weight from the 5-9, 195-pound Abdullah to the 6-3, 225-pound Johnson as the Raiders try to diversify their running attack and receiving out of the backfield.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.