Former Raiders second-round pick DT PJ Hall signing with Texans

It’s been quite an offseason for PJ Hall. The former second-round pick (57 overall) went from a 12-game starter last season to being traded for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft, to being cut. Now he’s headed back to his home state, joining the Houston Texans, according to his agent.

PJ Hall was a surprise pick in the second round by the Raiders in 2018. The stocky defensive tackle out of Sam Houston State was projected by most to be a mid-round pick, and it seemed the Raiders were somewhat aware of that because they traded down before pulling the trigger on him at 57 overall.

A disruptive defensive tackle was a big need for the Raiders that year, so when they got in the fifth round and Maurice Hurst was still on the board, they took him as well, this time trading up to ensure they got their guy. And since day one, Hurst has outplayed Hall, despite being selected 82 spots after him.

Hall’s dominance against FCS competition only showed up in spurts against NFL competition. He had a handful of games over his first two seasons where you found yourself saying ‘where has that been?’ because the was invisible the rest of the time.

When he can put it together, you see what he brings to the table. He’s got incredibly strong legs and a lower center of gravity, so it’s hard to knock him off balance. He’s basically a sumo wrestler. You just don’t see enough of it.
Jon Gruden called out Hall, saying something to the effect that new Defensive Line coach Rod Marinelli won’t put up with a lack of hustle.

Also this offseason — during a pandemic, mind you — Hall did a couple Instagram live videos in which he was clearly having a party and he was sitting there smoking hookah pipe. In a vacuum, it’s like who cares, but during a pandemic, in which large gatherings are discouraged, and when your coaches are clearly questioning your work ethic, it’s just a bad look.

Come the draft, word got out that the Raiders were shopping Hall, but they weren’t interested in having any picks past the fourth round this year due to the difficulty late round picks and undrafted guy will have making the team with no offseason and the strong possibility of no preseason as well.

Ultimately, they were able to get the Vikings to bite on a deal for a conditional seventh-round pick as the Raiders were trying to get down from 90 to 80 players. But, of course, the reason the Raiders were trying so hard to deal him became clear when he came in overweight and couldn’t pass his physical, voiding the trade. With Hall sent back to the Raiders, they just waived him.