It turns out that Marcus Gilchrist‘s tenure with the Houston Texans only lasted one year.
NFL Network Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday that the 29-year-old safety is set to sign a one-year deal with the Oakland Raiders.
Former #Texans safety Marcus Gilchrist is signing a 1-yr deal with the #Raiders, source said. Another defensive signing today.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2018
Safety Marcus Gilchrist to Sign One-Year Deal With Oakland Raiders
Gilchrist initially entered the league as a second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 2011 NFL Draft. For the first two years of his career, Gilchrist primarily served as the teams third cornerback. However, Gilchrist moved to strong safety entering the 2013 season. The Clemson product would remain at the strong safety position throughout the duration of his Chargers tenure.
During his four-year stint with the Chargers, Gilchrist established himself as a solid defender against both the run and the pass. Gilchrist recorded five interceptions over that span while averaging 62 tackles a season. He hit free agency after the 2014 season with the New York Jets rewarding him with a four-year, $22 million dollar contract.
However, he would not see the end of that contract. Gilchrist played well for the Jets in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, recording five interceptions and 135 tackles. Unfortunately, injury struck at the worst possible time.
The second-year Jet suffered a torn patellar tendon in the final month of the 2016 season. While he was expected to recover, the Jets organization went in a different direction. The Houston Texans promptly signed Gilchrist to a one-year, $3 million dollar deal.
The deal made sense for both sides, as it allowed Gilchrist to reset his market value. Gilchrist showed that he was able to overcome his season-ending injury to return to the player he had always been. In 2017, Gilchrist recorded one interception and 56 tackles while playing in all 16 games, starting 13.
Over the course of his seven-year career up to this point, the 29-year-old has a total of 11 interceptions, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four sacks and 32 passes defended. He started both playoff games the Chargers appeared in during the 2013 season.
