Conley out with strained hip

Cornerback Gareon Conley, the 2017 first-round pick who missed most of his rookie season to injury and whom the Raiders hope can be a starter this year, lined up with the defense on Day 1 of training camp Friday.

On Day 2, he was nowhere to be seen.

Conley was absent from practice again Sunday, and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said afterward that Conley is dealing with a hip strain that occurred Friday.

“He made a good play on a ball in a one-on-one drill and just bumped his hip a little bit,” Guenther said. “He won’t be out for too long.”

Last season, Conley missed training camp and preseason with a shin injury that returned after Week 3, sidelining him for the rest of the year. He declared himself recovered this spring but also missed part of June minicamp with a groin issue.

If healthy, Conley projects to start with free-agent acquisition Rashaan Melvin at the Raiders’ overhauled cornerback position, which includes five new players in camp. Daryl Worley, who arrived as a free agent in April, lined up with the first-team defense in Conley’s place Sunday.

Melvin said he believes the tandem of himself and Conley can help improve an Oakland defense that allowed the thirdhighest opponent passer rating (101.8) in the league last season.

“I think Gareon is a very talented football player: young guy, long guy,” Melvin said. “His skill set is unbelievable. It’s high expectations for both of us.” Good first impression: Also new to the cornerback group is Nick Nelson, a fourthround draft pick who is practicing after missing offseason workouts with a meniscus injury suffered just before the draft.

On Friday, Nelson showed a glimpse of why the Raiders selected him with the 110th overall pick. He ran stride for stride with speedy receiver Johnny Holton on a deep incompletion near the sideline. Nelson led FBS players with 21 pass breakups in his final season at Wisconsin and is likely competing for a role on the nickel defense in camp.

“He’s been doing a lot of studying in the offseason,” Guenther said. “Obviously came out the first couple of days getting the rust off a little bit. … He’s playing some nickel and outside corner for us, so he’s doing good, right where we want him to be.”

Though Nelson might be playing catch-up with the other cornerbacks, Guenther said there is “wide-open” competition at the position.

“We’ve got a lot of guys working out there at corner,” he said. “It’s going to be a good battle to see who comes out of it.”