Raiders Sign Montoya for Reported $650,000

Never loath to shovel an extra $100,000 into the breach, the Raiders struck again on the Plan B market Tuesday, signing Cincinnati guard Max Montoya, who was left unprotected despite playing in three of the last four Pro Bowls.

Instead, the Bengals tried to make a separate deal with Montoya, and the Raiders outbid them.

Before exposing him, Montoya says the Bengals renegotiated his $475,000 contract upward “a little bit,” in the hope he’d spurn all offers.

The Raiders then raised the ante a lot.

A source says Montoya, 32, will earn $650,000 this season, which would make him the highest-paid Raider offensive linemen ever.

It would also put him at the head of this season’s Plan B class, ahead of the 49ers’ Dave Waymer whose $1.8 million deal made eyes bug out all over the NFL.

Complete with signing ($150,000) and relocation ($25,000) bonuses, Waymer, the former New Orleans Saint safety, will earn $550,000 this season.

Raider center Don Mosebar will make $585,000 this season, which would have been the team’s record for the offensive line.

“It was just a thing, (the Bengals) re-did my contract and gave me a little bit of extra money to stick around,” Montoya said from his Cincinnati home.

“At the time, we discussed the possibility of other teams offering me quite a bit more. I believe the Bengals knew there was a chance, so they sweetened the pot.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d get as many offers as I did. It totally blew me away.”

Did this constitute a side agreement?

“That’s kinda obvious,” Montoya said, laughing. “I found out at the Pro Bowl there are quite a few teams doing that.”

Bengal assistant general manager Mike Brown said earlier that Montoya made a “moral commitment” not to look elsewhere in return for his raise.

Such deals, however, might be construed as violations of the Plan B system, which was installed to assure the court system that the NFL isn’t restraining trade.

Brown backed away from talk of any kind of a commitment Tuesday. He would not discuss the matter it at a Cincinnati news conference.

Montoya is the second Plan B free agent the Raiders have signed this off-season. The first was Chicago Bear safety George Streeter.

A year ago, the Raiders dived heavily into the Plan B pool.

Nose tackle Bob Golic ($600,000), linebacker Thomas Benson ($375,000) and kicker Jeff Jaeger ($325,000) were season-long starters.

Linebacker Emmanuel King ($375,000) played only as a backup.

Linebacker Jackie Shipp and defensive end Pete Koch ($400,000 each) and linebacker Joe Costello ($195,000), were waived after making the opening-day roster and had to be paid half their salaries.

Linebacker Otis Wilson ($550,000) was waived, re-signed to a lower figure, opened the season as a starter, and was re-waived a week later. He also received half his pay.

Guard Dale Hellestrae ($260,000) and receiver Sam Graddy ($240,000) were hurt all season and got full pay.

Cornerback Mike Richardson ($475,000) was cut before the opener and collected nothing.

Nose tackle Byron Darby got a $50,000 signing bonus, but never made it out of camp.

Montoya attended La Puente High School, Mt. San Antonio College and UCLA.