Brown, Ruggs back on field with Chiefs up next

R ight tack le Trent Brown and rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III took the first step toward returning to action by being available to practice Wednesday as the Raiders prepared to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Brown, the Raiders’ right tackle, battled a calf injury through an abbreviated training camp and then reinjured it three snaps into the regular season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Ruggs, the No. 12 overall pick in the draft, had a knee injury in the opener, but came out a Week 2 win over New Orleans with a hamstring strain and hasn’t been seen on the field since.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden stopped well short of proclaiming the two key offensive pieces ready to play, but was encouraged to see them on the practice field.

Both were listed as having limited participation.

“We’ve been working Trent for a long time. He wouldn’t be out there practicing if he wasn’t close to being ready,” Gruden said during a video conference. “He’s missed a lot of time. Ruggs is a rookie who had no spring practice and he’s missed a lot of time. I don’t know if they’re going to play this week or not but it’s good to have ’em back on the field.”

The news at defensive tackle wasn’t as optimistic. Maliek Collins, who left after 25 snaps with a shoulder injury against Buffalo and did not return, did not practice. Collins was also listed with an illness aside from his shoulder problem.

With Maurice Hurst placed on the COVID-19 list Tuesday and Daniel Ross on injured reserve, it left only Johnathan Hankins practicing as part of the rotation at tackle.