Raiders sign FB Griffith, two tight ends
Football Betting Lines
03/10/2007 - Alameda, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent fullback Justin Griffith to an undisclosed contract, and added a pair of tight ends in Fred Wakefield and Tony Stewart.
Griffith spent his first four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, starting 48 of the 60 games he has played. He served as the lead blocker for a unit that led the league in rushing for the past three seasons.
"We're confident he will fit in well with the Raiders," said new head coach Lane Kiffin. "He's looking forward to coming in and instantly competing to be our fullback."
The signing of Griffith comes one day after the Raiders addressed their need for a feature ball carrier with the addition of free agent Dominic Rhodes.
"We have made some solid improvements to our ball club in the last couple of days and Justin is another example of it," Kiffin added.
Griffith, known more for his blocking skills, has averaged 4.7 yards on 81 carries in his career. He has also caught 87 passes for 621 yards with nine touchdowns.
Wakefield, meanwhile, joins the club after playing his first six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He entered the NFL as a defensive lineman and switched to offensive line in 2005 before trying his hand at tight end this past season.
Utilized mostly as a blocker, Wakefield had just two catches for 24 yards last season.
Stewart played the past five seasons with Cincinnati after spending his first NFL campaign with Philadelphia. He caught 14 passes for 120 yards with a touchdown last season, and had his best year in 2003 with 21 catches for 212 yards.
The Raiders also named Don Johnson an assistant defensive line coach.
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Cardinals sign Hood >>
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Nationals renew Zimmerman's contract >>
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Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.
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With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.
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