Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie is adding another impact player to a free-agent haul that already includes guard Kelechi Osemele, cornerback Sean Smith and linebacker Bruce Irvin.
The Raiders have signed former Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, the team announced. Nelson's deal is a two-year contract worth up to $12 million, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported, via a source informed of the deal.
At No. 22, Nelson was the highest remaining player on Around The NFL's list of the Top 99 free agents. This signing means the Raiders have picked up four of the top 25 players available.
Nelson, 32, earned his first Pro Bowl selection in nine NFL seasons after tying for the league lead with eight interceptions last year. The Bengals are moving on because 2013 third-round pick Shawn Williams is ready to step into the starting lineup opposite George Iloka.
The addition of Nelson solidifies a secondary that not only struggled to contain tight ends last season, but also lost future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson to retirement.
By signing four high-caliber starters to round out his roster, McKenzie now has the luxury of taking the best player on the board in the upcoming draft rather than reaching to fill positions of need.
Mixing in the new faces with an impressive young nucleus, the Raiders are a franchise on the rise, prepared to give the Broncos a run for the AFC West title in 2016.
