Report: Karl Joseph's Raiders Contract Option Expected to Be Declined

Safety Karl Joseph will likely be playing for a contract next season, as the Oakland Raiders are reportedly not expected to exercise his rookie option by the May 3 deadline. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Joseph's fifth-year option is expected to be declined.

The move was unexpected since Raiders head coach Jon Gruden told reporters in February that Joseph's 2020 option was likely to be picked up, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. 

“Karl Joseph has asserted himself as a leader on our football team,” Gruden said at the time. 

With a different regime steering the ship in Oakland than the one that drafted Joseph, the former West Virginia standout will have to prove his worth to Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock in 2019. 

It's a bit surprising the Raiders didn't guarantee Joseph's fifth year. He showed significant improvement last season in several key areas, per Pro Football Focus:

One significant change was the Raiders selecting Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram 27th overall in this year's draft. 

The Raiders made Joseph the 14th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He has appeared in 40 games over the past three seasons, including 32 starts.