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Raiders sign top draft pick Robert Gallery
Offensive tackle Robert Gallery, the second overall pick in the NFL draft, signed a 7-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on Thursday.
A source familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity, said the deal could pay Gallery as much as $18.5 million in guaranteed money and $60 million over the life of the contract. The Raiders did not release details of the contract and would not confirm salary figures.
Gallery will be in uniform when the Raiders open training camp Friday morning at their wine country facility.
"It was very important. For me to do the best job I can and do the things I wanted to do, I had to be here on the first day," Gallery said. "I went through the whole process and knew kind of where I stood. Signing your name under those numbers kind of took my breath away and I was kind of shaky signing my contract."
Quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in the draft, signed with the New York Giants earlier Thursday for a deal that will guarantee him $20 million.
Gallery already bought a home in the East Bay area. He has never seen this kind of money, pointing out his father once paid him for a week of working on the family farm.
"I've had more debt than I've had transactions in my favor," Gallery said.
Gallery, who played at Iowa, is considered the best offensive line prospect since Orlando Pace went No. 1 overall to St. Louis in 1997. And he's expected to compete for a starting job right away at left tackle.
"Obviously, you draft a guy with the second pick and those are your hopes, that he can come in and do those kinds of things," coach Norv Turner said. "Robert was extremely impressive in our spring work."
The Raiders received several trade offers leading up to their pick, but were much more interested in getting the 6-foot-7, 323-pound Gallery for themselves.
And the Raiders are in dire need of some help on an a line that was beat up most of last season and couldn't protect its quarterbacks - Rich Gannon, Marques Tuiasosopo and Rick Mirer, who all got hurt.
"I just know he has pretty much all the tools, good feet and he's strong," three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ron Stone said of Gallery.
Gallery, who allowed only one sack over his final 36 collegiate games, visited team headquarters a couple times and even met owner Al Davis.
Gallery will compete with Barry Sims for the starting spot.
"I'm shooting to get the starting spot," Gallery said. "Obviously I'm a competitor. I don't like to sit on the sideline and watch. I'll do everything in my power to get out and get on the field. I put pressure on myself to come in and be a starter. I feel that more than I do anything else I've always done that, that's just the way I've always been."
The Raiders also signed receivers Carlos Francis and Johnnie Morant on Thursday and personnel chief Michael Lombardi expected to have the other five unsigned draftees in camp on time Friday morning.
Source: AP
A source familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity, said the deal could pay Gallery as much as $18.5 million in guaranteed money and $60 million over the life of the contract. The Raiders did not release details of the contract and would not confirm salary figures.
Gallery will be in uniform when the Raiders open training camp Friday morning at their wine country facility.
"It was very important. For me to do the best job I can and do the things I wanted to do, I had to be here on the first day," Gallery said. "I went through the whole process and knew kind of where I stood. Signing your name under those numbers kind of took my breath away and I was kind of shaky signing my contract."
Quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in the draft, signed with the New York Giants earlier Thursday for a deal that will guarantee him $20 million.
Gallery already bought a home in the East Bay area. He has never seen this kind of money, pointing out his father once paid him for a week of working on the family farm.
"I've had more debt than I've had transactions in my favor," Gallery said.
Gallery, who played at Iowa, is considered the best offensive line prospect since Orlando Pace went No. 1 overall to St. Louis in 1997. And he's expected to compete for a starting job right away at left tackle.
"Obviously, you draft a guy with the second pick and those are your hopes, that he can come in and do those kinds of things," coach Norv Turner said. "Robert was extremely impressive in our spring work."
The Raiders received several trade offers leading up to their pick, but were much more interested in getting the 6-foot-7, 323-pound Gallery for themselves.
And the Raiders are in dire need of some help on an a line that was beat up most of last season and couldn't protect its quarterbacks - Rich Gannon, Marques Tuiasosopo and Rick Mirer, who all got hurt.
"I just know he has pretty much all the tools, good feet and he's strong," three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ron Stone said of Gallery.
Gallery, who allowed only one sack over his final 36 collegiate games, visited team headquarters a couple times and even met owner Al Davis.
Gallery will compete with Barry Sims for the starting spot.
"I'm shooting to get the starting spot," Gallery said. "Obviously I'm a competitor. I don't like to sit on the sideline and watch. I'll do everything in my power to get out and get on the field. I put pressure on myself to come in and be a starter. I feel that more than I do anything else I've always done that, that's just the way I've always been."
The Raiders also signed receivers Carlos Francis and Johnnie Morant on Thursday and personnel chief Michael Lombardi expected to have the other five unsigned draftees in camp on time Friday morning.
Source: AP