ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Las Vegas Raiders have signed RB Jalen Richard to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.
Richard originally signed with the Raiders after participating on a tryout basis at the team's rookie mini-camp as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the Silver and Black, Richard has appeared in 64 contests and made two starts, logging 233 rushing attempts for 1,170 yards and three touchdowns, adding 160 receptions and an additional 1,380 yards and three scores. Richard has also played a large role on special teams, tallying 34 kickoff returns for 680 yards and 68 punt returns for 485 yards.
In 2019, Richard appeared in all 16 contests for the fourth consecutive year. He tallied 39 carries for 145 yards, adding 36 receptions and 323 yards. His 36 receptions were tied for fourth-most on the squad in 2019.
In 2018, Richard was a major offensive contributor, as he tallied a career-high 68 receptions, tied for most on the club and also tied with Marcus Allen for the fourth-most receptions in a single season by a Raiders running back. Richard's 104 receptions since 2018 rank eighth-most among all running backs in the league. During his 2017 campaign, he totaled 531 yards from scrimmage and scored two times on offense.
As a rookie in 2016, Richard made the initial 53-man active roster out of training camp. In his NFL debut and on his first career carry, Richard scored his first career touchdown on a 75-yard rush midway through the fourth quarter and became just the fourth player ever to score on a 75-or-more yard run in his NFL debut, joining the likes of Oran Pape (1930), Alan Ameche (1955) and Ottis Anderson (1979). Additionally, his average of 5.9 yards per carry ranked first in the NFL among players with at least 80 rushing attempts that season. He was also recognized as a Pro Bowl alternate as a return specialist after posting 17 kickoff returns for 402 yards (23.6 avg.) and 34 punt returns for 306 yards (9.0 avg.).
A native of Alexandria, La., Richard played four years for Southern Miss, appearing in 41 games and making 29 starts. As a Golden Eagle, he totaled 2,082 career rushing yards on 397 carries and logged 19 touchdowns, while also hauling in 83 passes for 675 yards and an additional five scores.
