Missing players has been story of Raiders season
The Raiders go in to their regular season finale unsure of whether some key players will be available Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Which makes it pretty much like every other week in a season where injuries and COVID-19 absences made roster shuffling a regular occurrence.
Right tackle Trent Brown( knee) and left guard Denzelle Good (ankle) did not practice and although coach Jon Gruden didn’t address their status Wednesday in a video conference, privately there is doubt that they will be able to play.
The Raiders also placed defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder) on injured reserve and running back Jalen Richard on the COVID-19 reserve list, meaning both won’t play against the Broncos. Also not practicing were defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (calf) and slot corner La marcus Joyner (thigh).
Meanwhile, safety Jeff Heath was designated for return after being on injured reserve for the last three weeks following a concussion and cornerback Daryl Worley was activated from the COVID-19 reserve list.
Gruden found it amusing when he was asked if the Raiders (7-8) would use the final game to see some “younger players” against the Broncos (5-10).
“I mean, who do you want to see? We’ve seen about 80 players this year,” Gruden said. “I want to see my starters play. We’re playing just about every eligible player possible. We’re going to try to win the game with the healthy, available bodies that we have, and we’ve seen enough different players at every position. We need to see the best 11 on each side of the ball play and play together well enough to win.”
If Brown doesn’t play, he will have completed his second season with the Raiders having played in five games due to a torn pectoral muscle, a calf injury and a bout with COVID-19 and then complications from the illness. In one of those games, the opener against Carolina, Brown played just three snaps before the calf injury.
Good temporarily replaced Brown at right tackle, giving way to Sam Young until Brown came back to play every snap against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 11. Then he was gone again, attempting to play in Cleveland on Nov. 1 before being stricken in the locker room with an undisclosed issue and needing a trip to the hospital.
Brown then went back on the COVID-19 reserve list to get well from “complications” from the virus. He returned against Indianapolis and has played every snap in the last three games before exiting the MIami game with a knee injury.
After signing a four-year contract worth a maximum of $68 million, temporarily making him the NFL’s highest paid lineman, Brown has played in 16 of 31 games for the Raiders in two seasons, and in two of those games was on the field for six snaps and three snaps before leaving with an injury.
Brown was paid $21 million this year and is due $14 million in 2021, although with the bonus money already accounted for, the Raiders could release him and clear the $14 million against the salary cap with no acceleration.
Good, who opened the season as a backup to Richie Incognito at right guard, replaced Brown temporarily at right tackle when swing tackle Sam Young was also hurt in the opener, then settled in as the starter at left guard after an Achilles injury ended Incognito’s season in the second week of the season against New Orleans.
In Saturday night’s 26-25 loss to Miami, Good needed assistance in getting off the field with an ankle injury after 30 snaps. He was replaced by John Simpson, a rookie fourth-round draft pick from Clemson who finished the game and is in line to start against Denver if Good can’t play.
In the end, the Raiders projected offensive line of left tackle Kolton Miller, Incognito, center Rodney Hudson, right guard Gabe Jackson and Brown were together for the first three snaps of the season against Carolina and never played together again.
Richard, in his fourth season, missed two games with a bruised sternum and has seen his production drop as his opportunities as a pass receiver have dwindled and with Devontae Booker taking over as the No. 2 runner in back of starter Josh Jacobs. Richard’s rushing (22 carries for 123 yards) and receiving totals (19 receptions for 138 yards) are both the lowest of his career. Richard leads the Raiders with 10 kickoff returns for 240 yards. WILL WITTEN RETIRE? >> The first time Jason Witten takes the field against Denver, he’ll be the NFL’s all-time leader in games played for a tight end with 271, breaking the previous record of 270 by Tony Gonzalez.
Whether the count stops at 271 is still to be determined.
“I’ll give myself some time to think through it. Certainly I know where I’m at in my career,” Witten said. “Regardless it’s been a great experience out here with the Raiders. I know we came up short htis year, but I was proud to be a part of this team.”
With 1,228 receptions (for 13,046 yards) in 17 seasons, Witten is second-alltime in receptions among tight ends behind Gonzalez (1,315). Witten signed a oneyear contract worth $4 million to play with the Raiders after spending his entire career in Dallas. He has 13 receptions for 69 yards and has served as a mentor to both Darren Waller and Foster Moreau.
Gr uden c a lled Witten “one of the great war daddies of all-time. He’s going to break Tony Gonzalez’ record Sunday and it’s going to be great to be a small part of that.
Drafted by Bill Parcells with Dallas in 2003, Witten took the message from his first head coach seriously.
“He taught me early on. Reliability, dependability, consistency, that’s how you make it in this game,” Witten said. “Those are traits I’ve kept near and dear to me my entire career.”
• Edge rusher Takk McKinley will not be activated for the Denver game so the Raiders won’t get a chance to see the former first-round draft pick and Kennedy-Richmond High product play after claiming him on waivers. Both Cincinnati and the 49ers also claimed McKinley, but failed him on his physical due to a groin injury.
McKinley’s original fouryear contract is up after the season, and it remains to be seen if the Raiders will attempt to bring him back in 2021.
• Hudson and Jackson did not practice Wednesday, which is part of their normal weekly routine.