ALAMEDA, Calif. – Oakland Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley will sign his franchise tag after being unable to reach a long-term agreement with the team.

Agent Joe Linta confirmed a report by Fox Sports on Monday that Wimbley will sign the tag that will guarantee him US$11.312 million next season. Linta and Raiders owner Al Davis had talked about a contract since the Raiders placed the tag on Wimbley last week.

“Mr. Davis and I couldn’t agree on a long-term deal, but we agreed to keep talking as the labour process unfolds, and Kamerion will sign the franchise tender,” Linta said in an email.

The Raiders tried to keep Wimbley for much less money by exercising a $3.5-million buyback option that would have given him about $4.1 million next season. But the NFL ruled that contract was invalid, so the Raiders used the franchise tag instead to keep a player who led the team with nine sacks last season.

The Raiders now have five of their potential free agents under contract before the collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday. They have made more than $80 million in commitments, but none of those deals include signing bonuses that need to be paid before any games are played.

“When you’re signing these players to contracts the way we signed them, these contracts are all for the future,” senior executive John Herrera said Monday. “These guys will have to come in and play and earn their money before they get paid.

“The Raiders have not paid out a dime at this point in time.”

The Raiders have been one of the most aggressive teams so far this off-season as most clubs wait until a new CBA is in place before making moves.

Along with the Wimbley deal, Oakland gave cornerback Stanford Routt a $31.5-million, three-year deal; handed defensive tackle Richard Seymour a $30-million, two-year contract with $22.5 million in guarantees; signed defensive tackle John Henderson to an $8-million, two-year deal and signed special teams standout and backup running back Rock Cartwright to an undisclosed contract.

“What we did is protect our football team,” Herrera said. “These are moves that protect our franchise and protect our team and put us in a position to move on.”

Herrera equated the move to keep Seymour as Oakland’s “first-round pick” this year since the Raiders sent that selection to New England before the 2009 season to acquire Seymour. He has already played two seasons in Oakland, making the Pro Bowl last year as the Raiders finished 8-8 for their first non-losing season since 2002.

Seymour made a big impact on the field, as well as in the locker room where a mostly young team viewed him as a strong leader with the experience of having won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots.

“In my opinion, he was the heartbeat of our defence as far as high level of performance he demands from everybody on the field,” Routt said. “He’s definitely someone you don’t want to disappoint or let down because he came from New England where he won three titles.

“You don’t want him to have any harsh feelings about no longer being in New England.”

Oakland views Routt as a potential No. 1 cornerback after he had his best season in six years as a pro last year, putting up some of the best numbers in the league in terms of shutting down opposing receivers.

Oakland Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley will sign his franchise tag after being unable to reach a long-term agreement with the team.

Agent Joe Linta confirmed a report by Fox Sports on Monday that Wimbley will sign the tag that will guarantee him $11,312,000 next season. Linta and Raiders owner Al Davis had talked about a contract since the Raiders placed the tag on Wimbley last week.

“Mr. Davis and I couldn’t agree on a long-term deal, but we agreed to keep talking as the labor process unfolds, and Kamerion will sign the franchise tender,” Linta said in an e-mail.

The Raiders tried to keep Wimbley for much less money by exercising a $3.5 million buyback option that would have given him about $4.1 million next season. But the NFL ruled that contract was invalid, so the Raiders used the franchise tag instead to keep a player who led the team with nine sacks last season.

The Raiders now have five of their potential free agents under contract before the collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday. They have made more than $80 million in commitments, but none of those deals include signing bonuses that need to be paid before any games are played.

“When you’re signing these players to contracts the way we signed them, these contracts are all for the future,” senior executive John Herrera said Monday. “These guys will have to come in and play and earn their money before they get paid. The Raiders have not paid out a dime at this point in time.”

The Raiders have been one of the most aggressive teams so far this offseason as most clubs wait until a new CBA is in place before making moves.

Along with the Wimbley deal, Oakland gave cornerback Stanford Routt a $31.5 million, three-year deal; handed defensive tackle Richard Seymour a $30 million, two-year contract with $22.5 million in guarantees; signed defensive tackle John Henderson to an $8 million, two-year deal and signed special teams standout and backup running back Rock Cartwright to an undisclosed contract.

“What we did is protect our football team,” Herrera said. “These are moves that protect our franchise and protect our team and put us in a position to move on.”

Herrera equated the move to keep Seymour as Oakland’s “first-round pick” this year since the Raiders sent that selection to New England before the 2009 season to acquire Seymour. He has already played two seasons in Oakland, making the Pro Bowl last year as the Raiders finished 8-8 for their first non-losing season since 2002.

Seymour made a big impact on the field, as well as in the locker room where a mostly young team viewed him as a strong leader with the experience of having won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots.

“In my opinion, he was the heartbeat of our defense as far as high level of performance he demands from everybody on the field,” Routt said. “He’s definitely someone you don’t want to disappoint or let down because he came from New England where he won three titles. You don’t want him to have any harsh feelings about no longer being in New England.”

Oakland views Routt as a potential No. 1 cornerback after he had his best season in six years as a pro last year, putting up some of the best numbers in the league in terms of shutting down opposing receivers.

The Raiders on Thursday secured the services of linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and cornerback Stanford Routt at a cost of more than $30 million.

Routt, 27, received a three-year contract extension that guarantees him $20 million the first two years and potentially is worth $31.5 million. He earned slightly more than $3 million last season.

Wimbley, 27, was designated the Raiders nonexclusive franchise player, which is worth $10,151,000 for 2011, or the average salary of the five highest-paid linebackers in 2010. He led the Raiders with nine sacks last season, his first with the Raiders.

Any team that signs Wimbley would owe the Raiders two first-round draft picks.

The Raiders also re-signed backup running back and special teams ace Rock Cartwright and agreed on a two-year, $8 million contract with backup defensive tackle John Henderson.

The team confirmed the Wimbley and Cartwright signings. The Raiders did not confirm the Routt move, but two people familiar with the negotiations did. ESPN reported the Henderson deal.

Thursday’s moves follow last week’s signing of defensive tackle Richard Seymour to a two-year, $30 million contract.

Teams had until 1 p.m. Thursday to use the franchise tag. The Raiders used it on Wimbley because of an NFL rule that voided the $3.5 million buyback option that was in the contract he signed with the Cleveland Browns.

The two people familiar with the negotiations said the Raiders

are discussing a long-term deal with Wimbley that would supersede the one-year franchise tender, which becomes official only if Wimbley signs.

Using the franchise tag on Wimbley also calls into question the future of tight end Zach Miller. The two people familiar with contract negotiations said the Raiders are trying to sign Miller to a new contract before he is eligible for free agency. Miller has led the Raiders in receiving each of his four seasons and is fresh from his first Pro Bowl selection.

Raiders first-year coach Hue Jackson said he is confident Routt could hold up as the No. 1 cornerback if three-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Asomugha signs elsewhere.

“There’s no question,” Jackson said at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. “If he’s out there again, he’s going to play even better than what he did last year.”

In other news, Jackson offered further evidence that Jason Campbell is the unquestioned starting quarterback next season.

“There’s not a position, other than quarterback, that I wouldn’t just look at in the draft and say we don’t need anybody,” Jackson said.

Staff writer Jerry McDonald contributed to this report.