Free agent defensive end Dave Tollefson has signed with the Oakland Raiders. Tollefson, who spent time with the Silver and Black in 2007, played the past five seasons for the New York Giants.
A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., Tollefson played in 63 career games with the Giants, recording 81 tackles (56 solo), 10 sacks, five passes defensed and three forced fumbles. He played in eight postseason games during his time in New York, helping the Giants win championships in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.
Tollefson, 29, played in all 16 games with two starts, recording career highs with 21 tackles and five sacks last season. He posted a career-high two forced fumbles in 2010 and recorded 3.5 sacks during the 2008 season.
The 6-foot-4, 266-pound Tollefson was in training camp with the Raiders in 2007 and spent time on the team’s practice squad before being signed by the Giants. He entered the NFL as the Packers’ seventh-round selection (253rd overall) in 2006 and spent his first pro season on Green Bay’s practice squad.
Tollefson attended Northwest Missouri State and was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Lineman Award, presented to the top offensive or defensive lineman in Division II. He played two years at Los Medanos Community College in Pittsburg, Calif., and prepped at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, Calif.
