One day into free agency, on March 18, the Raiders agreed to terms with cornerback Eli Apple on a reported one-year, $6 million deal. Two weeks later and the deal had yet to be officially announced. Then on April 2 word came out that the terms to which the two sides had agreed were pulled and the deal was canceled for unknown reasons.
Usually these deals don’t happen due to failed physicals. If that was the case this time, it would make sense that Apple remained unsigned for nearly two months later.
In the meantime, the Raiders drafted cornerback Damon Arnette with the 19th overall pick and signed veteran free agent Prince Amukamara. And Apple remained unsigned.
Thursday, Apple’s unemployment ended officially as he signed on with the Carolina Panthers.
It gets interesting because the Raiders’ first opponent of the 2020 season will is the Panthers at Carolina, which means Apple will get to face the team with which he at one point looked to be joining. Will he play with an attitude because of the situation or will he understand the business side of this? We’ll see.
Apple joins another former Raiders player as Tahir Whitehead also signed with the Panthers after he was released this offseason.
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