Interior line understudy might get star role soon
Feliciano could leave Raiders after this season
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Jon Feliciano exudes the sort of swagger one might expect to find moments before a 1 a.m. bar fight. He smiles with a crooked, confident grin. He says what is on his mind. And at a moment’s notice, should a physical situation arise, he is ready.
There is a fearless invincibility to him. That is what made Oct. 14 so noticeable.
The Raiders center/guard exited a game against the Seattle Seahawks in London. His first-quarter departure alone was rare. A greater irregularity developed when the team quickly announced he would not return.
His ribs were injured, and he was transported to a local hospital.
“I couldn’t breathe,” Feliciano said. “They were kind of worried about that.”
Feliciano is an insurance policy the franchise has been fortunate to carry in recent years. Off the bench, behind arguably the NFL’S top interior line, the 2015 fourth-round pick has provided starter-caliber reps at center and both guard positions. He further demonstrated his value this past month when filling in for Pro Bowl left guard Kelechi Osemele.
The Raiders’ resident enforcer could have eight games left in his tenure.
Due to become a free agent in March, he figures to command a market and role reflective of his abilities.
“He is a starter,” said right guard Gabe Jackson. “For one, he’s always ready, mentally and physically ready. He’s grimy — in a good way. Some people say ‘grimy’ in a negative way, but he’s a grinder. He’s going to work. … He’s got this ‘I don’t care’ mindset, as in fear nothing, fear nobody. And I like it and respect it, because you’ve got to have that attitude.
“Anybody would be lucky to have him. They’re going to get a lot from him.”
His injury came on the team’s third offensive play.
The Raiders went up-tempo, their game plan to establish the run with a string of Marshawn Lynch carries. But there was a miscommunication, and Feliciano did not properly engage a Seattle lineman. A couple seconds later, some traffic formed around Lynch, during which Feliciano was tapped from multiple angles.
The rib injury occurred along the way. Feliciano returned for the next series, but it would be his final one of the game. A hospital visit was required to determine whether he sustained lung damage — hence why he couldn’t catch his breath. Tests were negative. He returned to the stadium, just in time for a bus ride to the airport and the Raiders’ return flight to Oakland.
After the ensuing bye week, Feliciano started a third straight game for Osemele and dominated against the Indianapolis Colts.
He has not undergone an MRI since the injury.
“Worry about it later,” Feliciano said. “You don’t get these opportunities much when K.O. is down. You’ve got to make the most of it, because he’s also a warrior. If he can play, he will play.”
Osemele returned to the lineup last week versus the San Francisco 49ers.
Feliciano stepped in as a reserve following multiple injuries to the line’s left side.
Perhaps in four months, he will be a starter in another franchise’s locker room. Teammates will acclimate themselves to Feliciano as the Raiders have. They know what to suspect from him, such as in August when the club held two joint practices with the Detroit Lions.
On Day 2, when the sidelines cleared around 10 a.m, you-know-who was in the middle of it.
It was 1 a.m. somewhere.
“He’s definitely scrappy,” tackle Ian Silberman said. “He’s one of those guys you’d love to have on your team, because he’s going to give everything he has.”
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ Gehlkennfl on Twitter. colors other than silver and black. One of the few key players remaining from that team is Derek Carr.
Carr’s connections with Mack, Cooper and Irvin extended past the playing field. Carr would often reminisce about the times he would have Mack and Cooper over to his home to play pool and basketball.
The loss of teammates over the years is a harsh reminder that the NFL is a business.
“I mean, I understand,” Carr said Wednesday. “It’s tough, it hurts and it’s hard. No one pays me to care about my feelings or any of our feelings. I have a lot of friends that have been cut or traded, not just this year but for five years. That’s always hard. You look around and Coop (Amari Cooper) is not sitting behind me in the offensive meeting anymore and Khalil (Mack) is not sitting next to me in a team meeting. I go to (Bruce Irvin)’s locker and it is not Bruce’s anymore.”
The Raiders traded Mack to the Chicago Bears on Sept. 1 as contract negotiations between the two sides fell through. On Oct. 22, Cooper was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a first-round pick.
Irvin was the most recent release as the Raiders decided to part ways with the veteran defensive end last Saturday.
As the franchise quarterback, Carr’s duties go beyond personal friendships with teammates. He looks to continue being a team spokesman and locker room leader.
“Going forward my job is to take whatever our owner, GM and head coach say and relay the message,” Carr said. “Just do my best, that’s my job. My job is to go out there and complete passes, lead my guys the best that I can and that’s my job. That’s what I am here to do.”
Notable
Linebacker Bruce Irvin signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. The Raiders must pay nearly $3.8 million from his remaining $8 million salary.
Guard Jon Feliciano (ribs), center Rodney Hudson (ankle), running back Doug Martin (hip), tackle Kolton Miller (knee/elbow), guard Kelechi Osemele (knee) and cornerback Daryl Worley (shoulder) were limited in practice Wednesday.