<
>

Raiders sign Greg Townsend Jr., son of franchise sacks leader

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders announced the signing of a team legacy Wednesday in undrafted rookie free agent defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. from USC.

Townsend’s father played for the Los Angeles Raiders from 1983-93 and again in Oakland in 1997 and is the franchise’s all-time sack leader with 107.5.

The younger Townsend, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 258 pounds, spent five years with the Trojans (he redshirted as a freshman) and, while dealing with knee and ankle issues and chicken pox, he finished with 6.5 sacks and 68 tackles in 33 career games, 15 starts. He projects more as a run-stuffer than a pass-rusher.

“I see Marcus [Allen] all the time,” Townsend said as he looked at a wall adorned with pictures of Raiders Hall of Famers on a video put out by Raiders.com. “I remember Tim [Brown] used to come to the house.

“Pretty much, all this stuff on the wall, I grew up, I seen it, I’ve talked about it with my dad. I heard plenty of stories, so, who would have known, 21 years later I’d be in Oakland, playing for the Raiders.”

A day earlier, the Raiders announced the signing of 13 undrafted free agents, which can be viewed here.

The Raiders now have 85 players on their 90-man offseason roster (Aldon Smith remains on the reserved/suspended by commissioner list).