Safety’s season over following surgery
Safety Obi Melifonwu, a second-round pick this year, had surgery to address a hip injury and will finish the season on injured reserve, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said Friday.
Melifonwu played on special teams in Sunday’s game at Kansas City and first appeared on the Raiders’ injury report Wednesday. Del Rio said the rookie had surgery Thursday.
“I can’t tell you exactly when that occurred,” Del Rio said of the injury. “I think it’s been a little bit that he’s been working with it. So, required surgery. He’s had it. So he’ll be out.”
Melifonwu also spent the first eight games of the season on IR with a knee injury suffered in the preseason. He made his debut in Week 9 at Miami and his first start two weeks later — at cornerback against the Patriots in Mexico City.
After playing 26 snaps on defense in that game, Melifonwu played one defensive snap over his final three games. All six of his snaps last weekend against the Chiefs came on special teams.
The Raiders’ use of Melifonwu at cornerback — which Del Rio later conceded was a desperate move — stemmed from a series of injuries at the position. Oakland’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, cornerback Gareon Conley, played in just two games before suffering a shin injury that eventually ended his season. The Raiders placed Conley on IR on Nov. 13.
Both rookies were expected to be big contributors this season. Conley, the 24th overall pick in April, was seen as a talented cover corner and potential starter who came into camp “hitting the ground running,” general manager Reggie McKenzie said last month. But Conley missed parts of training camp and preseason with the shin injury and had a setback after Week 3.
The Raiders drafted Melifonwu out of Connecticut as a tall, athletic safety who could match up one-on-one with tight ends in pass coverage. Del Rio recently said the Raiders had “a big role” planned for Melifonwu until he got hurt before the season.
In total, the Raiders’ top two picks combined to play 126 defensive snaps in their rookie seasons.
The Raiders have also been without starting cornerback David Amerson since Week 7 because of a lingering foot injury. Amerson was a limited participant in practice Wednesday but did not participate the past two days and acknowledged frustration Friday with his progress.
“I feel like there was a lot of plays out there to be made,” Amerson said. “And I ain’t no good on the sideline, you know what I mean?”
Amerson, who is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against Dallas, would miss his seventh consecutive game.
“He’s a good player, but we don’t dwell on that,” Del Rio said. “We go to the next guy up.”
TJ Carrie, who began the season as the Raiders’ third cornerback, has played the second-most defensive snaps (823) on the team. Sean Smith, who was benched briefly after starting in Week 1, has returned to a starting role with Dexter McDonald entering in nickel packages.
The group will get reinforcements Sunday in cornerback Antonio Hamilton, who was activated from IR on Friday to take Melifonwu’s spot on the roster. Hamilton suffered a knee injury on a kickoff in Week 5 against Baltimore and was designated to return from IR on Nov. 28.
Hamilton said he felt ready to return earlier from a meniscus tear, which usually heals in three to six weeks. He appeared in five games before the injury with one tackle.
“I’m super excited about getting back and also nervous at the same time because it’s been quite a while,” Hamilton said. “But at the same time, I’m ready. The coaching staff, they trust me, they believe that I’m ready. So I have no other choice but to get out there and do the best I can.”