Raiders list Jacobs, Abram as questionable
Jon Gruden stopped short of proclaiming three key players good to go for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Leading rusher Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram were listed as questionable Friday to play for the Raiders (75) against the Colts (8- 4) in a game with playoff ramifications in terms of a wild card spot.
After declaring cornerback Damon Arnette and safety Jeff Heath out of the game while in the concussion protocol, Gruden said of Jacobs, Trent Brown and Abram: “The other men are going to be questionable. They did practice a little bit today but we’ll have a better feel for everybody on Saturday.”
In reality, Brown has done more than “practice a little bit.” He has been a full participant with the starting unit at right tackle all week and was nowhere to be found on the final injury report.
It could be Gruden is merely keeping proprietary information to himself. Or that he was taken by surprise a week ago when Ja
cobs and Abram couldn’t go and doesn’t want to make that mistake again. In Brown’s case, perhaps it’s best to play it close to the vest until he actually takes the field given he’s played in just two games and none since Oct. 11.
Following a question about what it would mean to have Jacobs and Brown with regard to the running game, Gruden referenced the former but not the latter.
“It always helps to have your feature back in action,” Gruden said. “They don’t make a lot of guys like Josh Jacobs. So hopefully he’s ready to go and if he is, we’ll make sure we hand him the ball. He’s a great back, and normally a great back makes great things happen and that’s what we need from our go-to guy.”
Jacobs injured an ankle on the last carry of a 43- 6 loss to Atlanta.
The Raiders have played five different players at right tackle this season: Brown, Sam Young, Denzelle Good and Brandon Parker have all started and Patrick Omemeh has played as a reserve.
If Abram was unable to go, and with Heath unavailable, the Raiders would be perilously thin along the last line of defense. Gruden allowed for the possibility of slot corner Lamarcus Joyner and reserve cornerback Isaiah Johnson to play some safety as well as whatever healthy bodies are on the roster at the position. Johnson was listed as questionable to play with a groin injury and has been limited n practice all week.
“We’re running out of safeties,” Gruden said. “Hopefully Abram can play and stay healthy. It’s something he hasn’t done. We need him to do that to be the player we need him to be. Dallin Leavitt’s a trained safety. He’ll play back there, and play well if need be. We’ll have a contingency plan. But right now we’re getting tired of contingency plans to be honest with you.”
Abram was injured in last year’s season opener against Denver and sat out the season after surgery for a torn labrum. He has missed two games this year, one against Tampa Bay for contact tracing on the COVID-19 reserve list and one against Atlanta with a knee injury.
With Arnette out, Nevin Lawson steps in as the starter opposite Trayvon Mullen. The Raiders signed Daryl Worley this week, but he won’t be available until Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. MARIOTA WILL BACK UP CARR AGAIN >> Marcus Mariota, who is earning $7.5 million in salary to back up Derek Carr this season, will be the backup against the Colts. Mariota suited up for the first time against the Jets as the backup.
T he former Tennessee quarterback was healing various injuries when training camp opened and then had a pectoral injury which placed him on injured reserve.
Carr, like most starting quarterbacks, takes almost every practice rep, which hasn’t exactly hastened Mariota’s development within the system.
“We don’t practice much like we used to, and we have a lot of players that miss practice. You have to use your imagination, trust your instincts and your hunch,” Gruden said. “Mariota has a lot of playing experience, and he’s played against the Colts, having been a Titan. He’s had some familiarity with them.
“I don’t like to think about anything happening to our quarterback. But Marcus is finally healthy. He’s proven it on the practice field the last 10 days. Hopef ully that’s good things to come for him because I think he’s a hell of a quarterback.”