Inside: Tight end Darren Waller gets contract extension.

ALAMEDA >> The Oakland Raiders have signed tight end Darren Waller to a multiyear contract extension.

The team announced Wednesday the deal to keep Waller from becoming a restricted free agent next offseason.

Waller has been one of the biggest bright spots for the Raiders this season. He leads the team with 37 catches through five games for 359 yards and 17 first downs. Waller entered the year with just 18 career catches for Baltimore and Oakland after being drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round in 2015.

The Raiders signed him off the Ravens practice squad late last season.

• Raiders coach Jon Gruden didn’t try to conceal his disgust with the NFL upholding a 12-game suspension from Vontaze Burfict, using the phrase “I’m not happy about it” four times in a single answer about the prospect of carrying on without their middle linebacker.

Still, the Raiders beat Indianapolis after Burfict was suspended and then beat the Chicago Bears, going heavy with a nickel defense with five defensive backs and Tahir Whitehead and Nicholas Morrow at linebacker.

“Anytime someone wants to come out and play oldfashioned, big-boy football, you’ve got to have linebackers,” Gruden said. “Losing Burfict is big.”

Burfict’s impact is still felt after his departure, according to Morrow.

“He helped catch everybody up,” Morrow said. “He was a good guy and a good teammate. Players really gravitated to him. It’s different in the linebacker room. It’s quieter.”

• Wide receiver Tyrell Williams missed practice again, and Gruden went into a little more detail about his condition. The “foot” injury is actually a heel, specifically, plantar fasciitas, an inflammation of the thick band of tissue that connects the toes to the heel.

Williams remains the Raiders’ leading wide receiver with 17 receptions for 216 yards and four touchdowns.

“Whatever it is, it’s not getting much better,” Gruden said.

• Williams, along with right tackle Trent Brown (calf), guard Denzelle Good (excused for personal matter) and defensive end Arden Key (knee) did not practice.

Those who were limited were right guard Gabe Jackson (knee), wide receiver/return specialist Dwayne Harris (ankle) and slot corner Lamarcus Joyner (groin).

Jackson , Gruden said, got in more work Wednesday than he did Monday, which was his first practice since straining an MCL on Aug. 9.