Richie Incognito returning to Raiders for 2021 season?

Las Vegas Raiders left guard Richie Incognito aggravated an ankle injury playing against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 21 and ultimately underwent season-ending foot surgery to repair the problem. 

The Athletic's Vic Tafur noted on Friday that the four-time Pro Bowler who turns 38 years old in July is back running and on track to be ready for preseason activities and the start of the 2021 campaign. Tafur added that Incognito carries roughly a $5 million salary that isn't guaranteed, but that price likely isn't expensive enough for the Raiders to part ways with the veteran. 

According to Tafur, head coach Jon Gruden "loves the guard’s intensity and thinks that his leadership was missed last season." Denzelle Good played well replacing Incognito up front but, as Anthony Galaviz wrote for The Fresno Bee, Good is set to become a free agent when the new NFL year opens next month. 

Incognito last made a Pro Bowl squad in 2017 but played well enough in 2019 that the Raiders have reasons to believe he'll be well worth the money owed to him this year. There continue to be questions about which quarterback Incognito and his Raiders teammates will be guarding, but it appears Derek Carr will remain the club's QB1 through at least the end of February.