Cooper might be on field to face Chiefs
Medical clearance is next step in his possible return
ALAMEDA >> Amari Cooper was a surprise participant Friday as the Raiders held their final practice before boarding a team charter to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in a key AFC West game.
Cooper was officially listed as questionable and there’s a chance he will play for the first time since sustaining a concussion and an ankle injury in a win over Denver on Nov. 26.
“Coop was pretty gradual throughout the week, getting better every day, did some running on the side early in the week,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. “Looked pretty good today. We’ll see.”
Cooper declined to comment to reporters in the locker room as he packed his equipment travel bag. When teammate Pharaoh Brown, a practice squad tight end, asked if he was traveling (to Kansas City), Cooper nodded in the affirmative.
The third-year wide receiver cleared concussion protocol this week but reportedly was unlikely to have recovered sufficiently from the ankle injury. That didn’t appear to be the case Friday.
The first step will be to cleared medically today in Kansas City, and then get the potential go-ahead from Del Rio.
“You learn in this business to kind of figure out who you can trust and not trust,” Del Rio said. “It’s about trust and first the doctors have to clear him. If the player really wants to go and he’s moving around well enough, I typically let him go. We’ll see how it looks.”
If Cooper plays, the Raiders could have both of their starting wide receivers back after playing without them in last week’s 24-17 win over the New York Giants, which Michael Crabtree sat out on a one-game suspension for his fight with Denver cornerback Aqib Talib
In the Raiders’ 31-30 win over the Chiefs on Oct. 30, Cooper and Crabtree were key participants, with Cooper catching 11 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and Crabtree catching a 2-yard scoring pass from Derek Carr on the last play of the game to set up Giorgio Tavecchio to kick the winning extra point.
Cooper has 42 receptions for 499 yards and five touchdowns, while Crabtree has 42 receptions for 502 yards and six scores. Kansas City will be without Marcus Peters, the Oakland-born starting cornerback suspended by coach Andy Reid for disciplinary reasons.
The Raiders are tied for first place in the AFC West with the Chiefs and L.A. Chargers, all with 6-6 records.
• Jon Feliciano, the primary backup at both guard spots and at center, was listed as out following a concussion and will not make the trip to Kansas City. Feliciano’s absence could mean a promotion for James Stone, a center who has spent all season on the practice squad. Stone (6foot-3, 291 pounds) has 19 games of experience with 10 starts at center for the Atlanta Falcons in 2014-15.
“Give (line coach) Mike Tice a lot of credit for what he’s been able to do with our guys,” Del Rio said. “We plug them in and they go and as a unit we carry on. Hopefully, we’re not counting on having to (sub for Hudson) but we’re ready to adjust if we need to.”
Listed as doubtful are linebacker Cory James (knee) and defensive tackle Jihad Ward (foot).
Joining Cooper as questionable are cornerback David Amerson (foot), defensive end Denico Autry (hand), fullback Jamize Olawale (ankle) and wide receiver/return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson (hip).
Amerson has missed six games this season, including the last five in succession.
• With James unlikely to play, it means a fourth start for rookie linebacker Nicholas Morrow out of Division III Greenville, an undrafted free agent who has been the most significant contributing player of the rookie class.
Morrow has 39 tackles with two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
The game has begun to slow down for Morrow, who said he sees a different player than the one he looked at on film earlier in the season.
“It’s definitely been a long year,” Morrow said. “My season in college ended a month ago. But I’ve continued to learn.”
Defensive coordinator John Pagano said Morrow is getting to the point where he can read his keys and react, and every time he sees a new play, he’s picked up something new.
Morrow said the arrival of veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman has been a big help.
“It’s easy to bounce ideas off him,” Morrow said. “You’re in a game, and he communicates with you and that communication helps. It helps ease some anxiety because you know exactly what he’s doing so you know what you can do and play fast.”