ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent S Taylor Mays, the club announced Wednesday.
Mays is entering his sixth NFL season, following stops with the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals. He spent parts of the 2015 offseason with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. For his career, Mays has totaled 72 tackles (51 solo), four passes defensed, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Last season, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder played in all 16 games for Cincinnati, playing primarily on special teams. He recorded three tackles (two solo) and one sack on defense to go along with six special teams stops. As a rookie, he totaled 31 tackles (26 solo), two passes defensed and one forced fumble.
Mays played collegiately at USC from 2006-09 while Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. coached on the defensive side of the ball and eventually served as the assistant head coach defense/linebackers in 2009, Mays' final collegiate season. He played in 51 games with 50 starts in college, leading the team with 96 tackles and earning second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press.
To make room on the roster, the Raiders have waived LB Chase Williams.
