Brown hoping to return Sunday
Right tackle Trent Brown is getting close enough to returning that he was made available for a video teleconference Friday before the Raiders travel to Kansas City to face the defending Super Bowl champions.
Chances are good Brown will play. Whether he does or not, Brown had this to say about anyone in social or mainstream media that questioned his desire after missing all but three snaps over nine games dating back last season.
“I mean, I can tell you straight out the back — I don’t live for nobody’s compliments and I’m not going to die by their criticisms,” Brown said. “I’m a man, first and foremost. I didn’t get this far by listening to the naysay and doubters.
“I just come to work and do my job. I’m not the only one around the league who’s injured. They should be really happy it’s not as serious as some of the other ones.”
Brown was listed as questionable after practicing all three days this week. He was listed as a full participant for the first time Friday, a day which is typically shorter and focuses on red zone
work. The Raiders will hold a walkthrough today before leaving for Kansas City, but Brown said he expected no decision to be made until the charter flight had concluded and the condition of his injured calf could be judged one last time.
“I feel okay. But as you know, being up there in the air, a lot of inflammation will set in and swelling,” Brown said. “So, we’ll see what’s going on Sunday.”
Listed as questionable along with Brown were wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who was a full participant Thursday and Friday, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins (shoulder), who was limited during his first practice session this week.
“I’m just going to be hopeful that Trent can make his debut. We have to wait and see,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “He’s only had a couple of practices the last several weeks. I’m going to let him see how he feels in the morning, Ruggs is moving around better. I’m hopeful that he can play, but we have to see how it feels after a good workout. Maliek is in the same boat. He’s very sore. I don’t know his status.”
Wide receiver Rico Gafford (hamstring) was questionable, and wide receiver Bryan Edwards (ankle) is out. Also not making the trip will be defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, who is on the COVID-19 reserve list.
Following the 2018 season, Brown signed a four-year contract worth $66 million, which at the time made him the NFL’s highest paid offensive lineman. He had come off a Super Bowl championship season with New England in which he made all 16 regular-season starts as well as three postseason games.
Brown looked the part of one of the NFL’s most dominant linemen early last season and was named to the Pro Bowl even though he missed five games and spent the end of the season on injured reserve after a torn pectoral.
Veteran Sam Young and converted guard Denzelle Good have manned the right tackle spot in Brown’s absence.
“I think that’s the beauty of our room, just the fact that everybody can play multiple positions,” Brown said. “We’re a bunch of selfless guys that will do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
Brown’s brief media conference was his first of the 2020 season. Held out of practice until late in training camp, Brown as an injured player was not available. He was listed with a calf injury in the days leading up to the season opener against Carolina. Brown said he hurt it on the first play against the Panthers.
“(I was) trying to see if it would loosen up if I kept going,” Brown said. “That wasn’t the case. So I was on the sideline trying to work it out with trainers and stuff. That wasn’t the case, either. Got the MRI and it was pretty bad. That’s why I missed the amount of time I have.”
Brown’s last media appearance was with Bleacher Report’s Adam Lefkoe in mid-July, at which time he said he’d been working with a personal trainer and was in the best shape of his life.
“Definitely been working hard to maintain it and get better,” Brown said. “I’ve been working hard with the (physical therapy) staff and the trainers in the weight room. We’ll see.”
Durability will be critical for Brown if he hopes to realize the final two years of his contract. He is due salaries of $13.75 and $15 million in 2021 and 2022, but the Raiders can release him and save nearly $30 million in cap space with no dead money following the season. ATTRITION AND JOSH JACOBS >> Running back Josh Jacobs has 300 yards rushing through four games after having 307 through the first four games of his rookie season. His yards per carry, however, has dropped to 3.6 from 5.0 — although the 2019 figure got some help from a 51-yard run against the Chiefs in Week 2.
In terms of touches, Jacobs has 106 (93 runs, 13 receptions) as opposed to 65 (62 runs, three receptions) last year.
At this point a year ago, Jacobs was experiencing full-time duty for the first time after dividing the lead back role at Alabama with Damien Harris and Najee Harris.
Jacobs should be fresh after carrying 52 times in the first two games and 31 in the second two — continuing a trend Gruden had last season of reducing his workload when the Raiders are behind with an eye on getting him to the finish line.
Offensive cooridnator Greg Olson said he likes what he sees of Jacobs’ conditioning. “He came in to the season in phenomenal shape. He’s continued to maintain his body through the first quarter of the season,” Olson said. “I know it was a heavy workload early, but that’s the kind of back that he is and the kind of back we drafted.”