T.J. Houshmandzadeh To Raiders: Oakland Signs Free Agent Wide Receiver

It was just over a week ago that veteran quarterback Carson Palmer made his debut with the Raiders. Making a relief appearance during the second half of Oakland's blowout defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, Palmer completed nearly half as many passes to the opposition (3) as he did to his new teammates (8). Looking to improve upon that ratio, the Raiders have signed free agent wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Not only does the move reunite Palmer and Houshmandzadeh, who played together for five seasons with the Bengals, but it reunites the veteran wide receiver with Hue Jackson, his former position coach from Cincinnati who has ascended to the top coaching spot in Oakland.

After working out the 34-year-old receiver on Monday, Jackson described Houshmandzadeh as "a guy that made a lot of catches when it was sticky."

Although the Raiders' pitiful performance against the Chiefs dropped them to 4-3, they remain tied atop the AFC West. Having acquired Palmer after first-choice quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone earlier in the season, the Raiders appear to be doing everything they can to making their new quarterback as comfortable as possible as soon as possible.

@AdamSchefter
Adam Schefter Raiders signed Carson Palmer's security blanket, T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Nov 01 via WhoSayFavoriteRetweetReply

Houshmandzadeh had been a free agent when the Raiders signed him to a deal that ESPN's John Clayton reports as being worth $910,000 over the remainder of the season. He played for the Baltimore Ravens during the 2010 season and had 30 receptions and three touchdowns.

Comments

[Drama Llama]

06:02 PM on 11/02/2011

Looking like the Oakland Bengals more and more..

Not the new good Bengals either.

[beverlyamy1]

11:38 AM on 11/02/2011

another loser from cincy,i thought oaktown was better than that.

[Sojourne]

10:44 AM on 11/02/2011

Love Hush and miss him here in Baltimore. He was always a great factor when we played against him. I wish him well!

[Mike Dennison]

09:43 AM on 11/02/2011

I look forward to finding out how to pronounce his name, hopefully during a Raider touchdown call.

[djnc]

08:26 AM on 11/02/2011

TO is better imo...poopzmenzadah is a bigger locker room headache too

[frank day]

08:06 AM on 11/02/2011

Should have signed T.O.

[AJH]

06:43 PM on 11/02/2011

This is about the locker room not the field of play. i.e. someone to aid the transition to a new team.

Besides TO would take DHB's slot (Not happening), Housh takes the Murphy Hagan slot. Figure he'll be the third down sit on the hole in the zone security blanket. Not exactly a TO specialty.

[frank day]

06:44 PM on 11/02/2011

Great comment.

[Californiagrove]

02:28 AM on 11/02/2011

Raiders are tied for first in a division that up for grabs.