Safety Melifonwu to play at Dallas
Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio spoke for a lot of fans Thursday when asked about safety Obi Melifonwu, the team’s second-round pick.
“I thought Obi had a good week of practice and we look forward to seeing him Saturday,” Del Rio said.
Raiders fans are dying to see Melifonwu play at Dallas, in the third preseason game, after he missed nearly all of training camp and the first two games with an undisclosed injury. They would also love to see first-round pick Gareon Conley (shin), but let’s not get greedy.
Conley, who missed all of training camp, was moving pretty well in workouts with trainers after practice this week. He watches practices and apparently takes good notes in meetings and asks the right questions during film study.
“He’s been real in tune to everything,” cornerback David Amerson said. “Always taking notes, asking questions, paying attention outside on the practice field. I’ve told him, and a couple of older guys have told him, to stay in tune. Control what you can control.
“Physically, you’re hurt right now, but mentally, you’ve got to be locked in and getting the mental reps to be prepared. He’s doing all the right things. I think as far as what he can do right now, he’s doing a great job.” Penn to play: Left tackle Donald Penn will also play against the Cowboys, days after ending his 26-day contract holdout.
“We’ll get him a few reps,” Del Rio said. “We’re not going to play him long, but we’ll probably get him a few reps in the game.”
Penn declined interview requests.
Penn returned Wednesday in good shape and practiced again Thursday.
“There’s a difference between game conditioning and football conditioning and being in shape,” Del Rio said. “He’s in shape. He’s a veteran guy. He understands what he needs to do. So physically, he’s in condition now. It’s a matter of him going through the timing of getting his body in sync with the demands of what we do. We’ll ease him in, give him a little bit this weekend. We gave him a little bit through the week of practice, and we’ll be ready to roll.”
Penn, 34, is in the final year of a two-year, $11.9 million contract. His agent and Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie are talking about an extension, if not the big raise Penn was seeking when he skipped training camp.