Tight end Jason Witten isn’t the only retired player that will return to NFL less than a year from calling it quits. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, former Oakland Raiders cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been reinstated by the league and is expected to play in 2019. Rodgers-Cromartie decided to retire after Week 11 last season.
There is no indication whether Rodgers-Cromartie has an agreement with an NFL team on the table, or will he try his luck on the open market. There could be some major interest in the services of the 32-year-old as the teams are now appreciating experienced cornerback much more.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie started his NFL career in 2008 when Arizona Cardinals drafted him 16th overall in that year’s draft. After three years and one Pro Bowl appearance in Arizona, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade that involved quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Rodgers-Cromartie spent two years with the Eagles before having a brief stint with the Denver Broncos and then signing with the New York Giants in 2014. With the Giants, he managed to establish himself as a reliable corner once again and managed to earn his second Pro Bowl appearance in New York.
Giants decided to release Rodgers-Cromartie in a cap-relief move during the 2018 offseason. He decided to retire last October after he played eight games with the Raiders in 2018. His career stats included 447 tackles, 147 pass deflections, 30 interceptions, and six touchdowns.
