Conley out, but expected back soon
He suffered hip injury Friday after missing most of last year
NAPA >> Gareon Conley missed his second straight practice Sunday with what Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther called a “little hip strain.”
Conley, Oakland’s 2017 first-round pick who only played two games last season because of shin injuries, suffered the injury Friday during a one-on-one drill.
“It’s unfortunate. He made a good play on a ball in a one-onone drill, just bumped his hip a little bit,” Guenther said. “He won’t be out for too long, but we’ve got a lot of guys working out there at corner. It’s gonna be a good battle to see who comes out of it.”
First-year Raider Daryl Worley has replaced Conley on the first team Saturday and Sunday, with Rashaan Melvin opposite him at cornerback on the first unit.
“He’s played a lot football. He’s an experienced guy,” Guenther said of Worley, a 2016 third-round pick of the Panthers. “He’s big
and long and he’s really starting to pick up the system the last couple days.”
Aside from cornerback news, here are a few more things to know from the first day of pads at Raiders training camp.
IRVIN VS. MILLER IN PADS >> The most entertaining battle to watch at the line of scrimmage has been, and will be, veteran defensive end Bruce Irvin vs. rookie left tackle Kolton Miller.
Instead of Donald Penn vs. Khalil Mack, we get the 22-yearold 15th overall pick and the 30-year-old Irvin, who’s switching to defensive end from linebacker. Sunday presented a first look at the matchup with pads on, and it didn’t disappoint.
Irvin won the first round by dipping around Miller and reaching the quarterback before the rookie took Round 2. Round 3 was the most even bout between the two, and Irvin likes what he sees from Miller as he fills in for the injured Penn on the starting offensive line.
“He’s gonna be good. He’s just young. He’s a big guy, very athletic, takes coaching,” Irvin said. “What else can you ask for in a kid? He’s our first-round pick, so
he’s coming in with a lot of expectations, but he’s doing a great job. We battle every day. I tell him, ‘Look, we’re going to go at it every day. We’re in the AFC West. You gotta go against Von. You got Bradley Chubb. You got those dudes in K.C., so we gotta get him ready. We need him, so he’s gonna be a really good player.”
TAVECCHIO PERFECT IN THE CLUTCH >> At the end of Sunday’s practice, the Raiders set up a lategame scenario: Chiefs 16, Raiders 14. Only time for one snap, then a potential game-winning field goal.
Derek Carr took the snap and centered the ball before kneeling. Tavecchio lined up for the field goal with a host of defensive players creating a half-circle around him while making noise. Defenders in the game jumped and waved their hands. Fans in the stands were urged to make noise, too.
Tavecchio hit his first field goal, then his second in a similar scenario.
The incumbent starter figures to be in a tight battle with rookie Eddy Piñeiro, the Florida product who the Raiders were surprised didn’t get drafted in April. Tavecchio hit 16-of-21 field goals last season and 33-of-34 extra points. He faces the challenge of making the roster when both Piñeiro
and the Raiders only punter, rookie Johnny Townsend, already have chemistry from their days as Florida teammates.
• With Miller assuming firstteam duties at left tackle, fellow rookie Brandon Parker saw reps as the backup left tackle Sunday. He’s worked primarily on the right side behind veteran and first-year Raider Breno Giacomini. Second-year tackle David Sharpe served as the No. 2 right tackle on Sunday.
• Undrafted rookie running back Chris Warren joined the three players on the physically unable to perform list (Penn, P.J. Hall and Eddie Vanderdoes) during a pre-practice stretching session separate from the team. The Texas product didn’t practice Sunday.
• Running back Jalen Richard exited practice early, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported the injury to be a calf strain. Richard figures to be in a battle with DeAndre Washington for one roster spot with the Raiders adding Doug Martin in free agency to back up Marshawn Lynch.
• The past two days, Oakland’s punt return group has consisted of Ryan Switzer, Griff Whalen, Dwayne Harris and Nick Nelson. On Sunday, Switzer and Whalen were the first two on the field followed by Harris and Nelson.