Getty Oakland Raiders DT Justin Ellis.
With the season only a couple of weeks away, the Oakland Raiders have a few players dealing with nagging injuries. All things considered, the team hasn’t been bitten too hard by the injury bug. Outside of the injury to Gabe Jackson, there aren’t many injuries that are expected to linger too far into the regular season. There are still unknowns concerning some injuries, but more should be revealed about those as we get closer to the season. Head coach Jon Gruden had a chance to talk about some of the team’s injuries after Tuesday’s practice.
Maxx Crosby Is a Tough SOB
One rookie that the Raiders are very high on is defensive end Maxx Crosby. “Madd” Maxx has already become a fan favorite because of his rap skills and crazy toughness. He fractured his wrist in the team’s first preseason game and still went on to finish the game.
“He’s a crazy sumb****,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther of Crosby because of his eagerness to get back in the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. “Nah, he’s just a great kid. He’s got tons of energy and, oh, I really admire him trying to get back in the game.”
He’s had to miss the last two preseason games because of the wrist injury, but based on most reports, Crosby should be ready to go in week one. Jon Gruden had the chance to address his injury.
“He got the cast off,” said Gruden. “He’s wearing a big ball on there now. It looks really bad, but hopefully when the season starts we’ll be able to fit him with something that allows him to use his fingers. We just got to let the stitches come out before we do that.”
Looks like Crosby won’t be fully healed in time for the season, but that’s not going to stop him from playing. Nobody would fault him if he took some time off to heal. However, he wants to play and that’s a good way to impress coaches and teammates. He should be fun to watch with a club on his wrist against the Denver Broncos in week one.
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Justin Ellis, Isaiah Johson and More Miss Practice
Justin “Jelly” Ellis has been a mainstay on the Raiders’ defensive line for many years now. However, he now finds himself in a loaded position group and got injured at a very bad time. He tweaked his knee a few practices back, but Gruden seems confident that he’ll be back by the season opener. He just has to hope that this injury doesn’t lead to him getting cut or traded.
Rookie cornerback Isaiah Johnson has also been missing some time with a facial injury he suffered in the first preseason game versus the Rams. Gruden hasn’t offered much of an update on his status other than the fact that he might not be ready for the start of the season.
Wide receiver J.J. Nelson twisted his ankle against the Arizona Cardinals and hasn’t been back since. He could be back by the season opener, but he has to be hoping he did enough before the injury to even make the roster.
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