DENVER CITY, Texas — Veteran cover cornerback A.J. Bouye, released by the Broncos a month ago to save their budget from his $11.7 million compensation package, arrived in Las Vegas on Monday to visit the Raiders, a source told 9NEWS.
The secondary is a glaring weakness for John Gruden’s Raiders, who otherwise may have a playoff-caliber offense. Bouye, 29, has other teams interested in his services and it’s possible he could make another visit or two.
A 2017 Pro Bowl selection and second-team All Pro for Jacksonville, Bouye was traded to the Broncos a year ago in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. After four seasons with the Houston Texans and three with the Jaguars, Bouye had a tough year for the Broncos. He was playing well in the first half of the opener against Tennessee but suffered a dislocated shoulder 58 seconds prior to intermission.
He missed the next four games, returned to play in a harness, and had just started to play like his old self again in games against Miami, New Orleans and Kansas City when he was hit with a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance enhancement policy.
Bouye served four games of his suspension to finish last season and will begin the new season with his new team by serving two more.
Undrafted out of Central Florida in 2013, Bouye hooked up with Houston and played so well there he commanded a five-year, $67.5 million deal with Jacksonville as a free agent. He wound up collecting $50.5 million over four years of that deal.
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