 |
 |
|
| | Sunday, December 26 | ||||||
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders and running back Napoleon Kaufman have agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract extension that includes a $2.5 million signing bonus, as ESPN's John Clayton first reported.
"I'm very, very happy" about the contract, Kaufman told the Associated Press after the Raiders' 23-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Kaufman wouldn't discuss the financial terms of his deal. Kaufman, a five-year veteran, would have been an unrestricted free agent after this season. He has spent his entire NFL career with the Raiders, who picked him in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft. His best season was 1997, when he carried 272 times for 1,294 yards. Kaufman, 26, ranks 12th in the AFC in rushing yardage, as he and teammate Tyrone Wheatley lead the NFL's top running attack. The deal with Kaufman comes a week after the Raiders signed Wheatley to a three-year contract worth $10 million. The tandem of Wheatley and Kaufman has given Oakland 138 yards rushing per game. Last week, they combined for 233 rushing yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kaufman, 26, produced 122 yards on just eight carries and broke off scoring runs of 75 and 17 yards. Raiders coach Jon Gruden signed Wheatley in training camp to ease the workload on the 5-9, 180-pound Kaufman. Wheatley has rushed for 837 yards and seven touchdowns and Kaufman has 686 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, this season. |  | ||||||
