Former Las Vegas Raiders guard Alex Leatherwood. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders cut 2021 first-rounder Alex Leatherwood

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 8/30/22

The Las Vegas Raiders’ new regime is moving on from last year’s first-round pick.

The Raiders selected Alex Leatherwood with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Alabama product started all 17 games at right guard. The new regime tried to move him to right tackle this year, but he was beat out for the job. That left the Raiders looking to trade the former Outland Trophy winner.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders tried to trade Leatherwood but received no viable offers, so they cut the lineman.

Despite #Raiders' trade talks with teams on Alex Leatherwood, was told no viable offers ever materialized. Teams were expecting the Raiders to eventually release him.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 30, 2022

Unless a team claims Leatherwood off waivers, the Raiders will owe him the $5.9M remaining on his signing bonus that they spread over the next three years. They will also have a cap hit of $7.8M for Leatherwood this season.

Unless someone claims Alex Leatherwood the #Raiders will owe him an additional $5.9M and cap will jump to $7.86M this year. $14.39M contract was fully guaranteed. As bad as you can do with a 1st round pick

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) August 30, 2022

The Leatherwood pick was criticized by many at the time the Raiders chose the lineman . Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock were running the team at the time.

The Raiders have now had a rough run with their high draft picks under the previous regime of Gruden and Mayock.

#Raiders first-round picks from 2019-2021:

2021: Alex Leatherwood: Cut
2020: Henry Ruggs III: Cut
2020: Damon Arnette: Cut
2019: Clelin Ferrell: 5th year declined.
2019: Josh Jacobs: 5th year declined.
2019: Johnathan Abram: 5th year declined.

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 30, 2022

The new leadership includes Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels, who previously were with the Patriots.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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