Marshall’s return bolsters linebackers
Two months passed between the Raiders releasing linebacker Brandon Marshall and resigning him Tuesday — so this week isn’t quite as simple as picking up where he left off.
“I mean when they cut me, I just threw my playbook away,” Marshall said Thursday. “So I kind of just had to reintroduce myself to some of the schemes, some of the blitzes. A lot of it is still familiar, but I haven’t learned it in two months.”
Marshall, 30, signed a oneyear deal with the Raiders in March but was cut after training camp. The Raiders’ linebacker group has since been depleted by Vontaze Burfict’s seasonending suspension and injuries to Marquel Lee and Justin Phillips. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said it was an “obvious choice” to bring back Marshall after
Phillips was injured Sunday.
“He looks good,” Guenther said Thursday of Marshall. “He was close at training camp. It was in the discussion to keep him around here.”
Marshall played just 11 games last year with the Broncos and missed most of spring workouts rehabbing from a knee injury. Marshall, who spent the past two months living and working out in the Denver area, said the knee feels “really good.”
“I think that time off really helped me,” Marshall said. “My knee is strong. I can’t wait to go out there and play.”
Guenther said the Raiders are trying “different combinations” at linebacker this week with new additions Marshall and Will Compton. The Raiders used a twolinebacker nickel defense for most of Sunday’s loss at Houston, with Tahir Whitehead and Nick
Morrow playing all 79 defensive snaps.
“I’m not sure they’re asking a whole lot of me at the moment,” Marshall said. “I’ve just got to get out there and go. I’m just excited to be here and have another opportunity in the league.”
Center situation: With Rodney Hudson and Andre James both missing a second straight practice with ankle injuries, guard Richie Incognito again took snaps at center Thursday.
Offensive coordinator Greg Olson, though, said both Hudson and James “looked good walking around” Thursday and his level of concern at center is “really not that high, to be honest.”
“They’ve given us an indication there’s a good chance they’ll be out there” Friday, Olson said.
Rookie honor: Raiders running back Josh Jacobs was named the NFL’s rookie of the month on offense for October, the league announced Thursday.
Jacobs rushed for 313 yards in three games in October and averaged 5.05 yards per carry. For the season, Jacobs ranks sixth among NFL players with 620 rushing yards and leads rookies in rushing attempts (124), rushing yards per game (88.6) and rushing first downs (30). The Raiders are ranked seventh in rushing at 131.4 yards per game.
“It says a lot not only about him, but the offensive line and really the entire group as a whole,” Olson said.
Injury report: Along with Hudson and James, receiver Dwayne Harris (foot), defensive end Josh Mauro (groin) and safety Erik Harris (illness) did not practice Thursday. Receiver Tyrell Williams was listed as a full participant for the first time since injuring his plantar fascia prior to Week 5.