

The Facts: Nelson didn’t take long to recover from the “little shock to the system” he got when the Packers released him earlier this week. Nelson landed in Oakland on Wednesday and signed a two-year deal with the Raiders on Thursday. He said there were other trips planned, but that he liked the fit with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and that things worked out contractually to make them unnecessary. Nelson also said that he’s confident in his ability to bounce back from a subpar 2017 season with the Packers.
Diehards Line:
“If you look two years ago, the year I won NFL Comeback Player of the Year coming off my ACL, I was still productive – 1,200 yards, 14 touchdowns,” Nelson told local reporters. “I think we had a lot of different things going on last year that obviously affected that. I can still run. I can still catch. Football, at this level, a lot of people focus on speed, but I ran a 4.5 coming out of college so I wasn’t blazing then either. It’s different when you get helmet and shoulder pads on. I think I can do that. I can make plays. ...” Nelson has relied heavily on route-running and, to be fair, a great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. As for Carr? Nelson had spoken to James Jones, a teammate in Green Bay who also played for the Raiders in Carr’s rookie season. He also knew Carr from talks with Packers receiver Davante Adams, Carr’s close friend and top target at Fresno State. “I knew a lot about him before I even came out here,” Nelson said. “I think it’s a great fit to be with him for the next couple years.”