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Raiders secure punter AJ Cole with record $15.8 million extension

Locking Cole in through 2029 underscores Las Vegas’s growing emphasis on special teams.

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Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders punter AJ Cole wears a shirt that reads "Love for Damar" with the No. 3 in honor of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
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Overview

  • The Raiders signed punter AJ Cole to a four-year, $15.8 million extension with $11 million guaranteed, making him the NFL’s highest-paid punter.
  • Cole’s new contract runs through the 2029 season, securing the six-year veteran and one of the few remaining Raiders from the Oakland era.
  • Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Cole has earned three Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors and praise from teammate Maxx Crosby.
  • He once had a backup offer to start at IBM in September 2019, rescinding the deal just a week before his first NFL game.
  • The record-setting guarantees in Cole’s deal have sparked debate among NFL analysts over the premium placed on punter salaries.