Trent Brown returns to practice for Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders activated right tackle Trent Brown from the COVID-19 list and could have him available a week after he missed a game because of a positive coronavirus test.
Brown took part in his first practice Friday since being sidelined on Oct. 21 because of the positive test. Brown’s test also forced the Raiders to practice all last week without the starting offensive line because of “high risk” close contacts with Brown.
The other starters returned in time to play last Sunday but Brown remained sidelined until Friday. His status for Sunday’s game in Cleveland has not been determined.
“We’ll find out,” coach Jon Gruden said. “We still have a couple more days to get him acclimated to our game plan. He’s been out for a while as you know, so it’s good to see him back out here, but I won’t make any more statements than that.”
The Raiders have struggled to get Brown on the field at all this season. He missed most of training camp nursing a calf injury that he reinjured on the first drive of the season. Brown played just three snaps in the opener before missing the next three weeks with the injury.
He returned and played well in a 40- 32 win at Kansas City on Oct. 11 but then tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from the bye and missed another game last week.
So he has had very minimal time on the field, leading to questions about whether he can return this week.
“I want to find out what his wind is,” Gruden said. “You know he had COVID-19, which is a serious deal, so we have to find out what his conditioning is like. There’s a lot of other things to weigh into this as well.”
Brown also missed five games last season and was limited to six snaps in another because of injuries as the Raiders have struggled to get value out of the $66 million, fouryear deal they gave Brown in free agency before the 2019 season.
NOTES: The Raiders also activated rookie CB Damon Arnette from the COVID- 19 list but he remains on IR with a broken thumb. ... DE Arden Key (foot) is listed as doubtful for the game Sunday. ... WR Bryan Edwards (foot, ankle) is listed as questionable.