Raiders report: ‘If you’re tired, go home,’ K.J. Wright says
Raiders report
Schedule
All practices at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center, unless noted:
Friday — Practice, 11 a.m.
Saturday — Off
Sunday — at Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium, 10 a.m.
Quote of the day
One of the more entertaining relationships on the Raiders is the one between kicker Daniel Carlson and punter A.J. Cole, who also serves as Carlson’s holder.
There is a humorous long-running debate between the two about which one would win a street fight between them. Both insist they would win easily.
Carlson and Cole both signed lucrative four-year contract extensions on Thursday, so they took the podium together after practice.
Of course, they were asked if they still wanted to organize a brawl, even with their new deals. Cole didn’t hesitate to say he’s ready.
“The fight is still happening,” he said. “But the tickets just got a little more expensive.”
Injury report
Star tight end Darren Waller was once again absent from the practice field on Thursday and appears to be in jeopardy of missing his second consecutive game with knee and back injuries.
Defensive end Carl Nassib (knee), linebacker Patrick Onwuasor (hamstring) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (ankle) all missed practice again on Thursday as well.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson was able to get in a limited session after not practicing Wednesday due to a back spasm. Fullback Sutton Smith was upgraded to full participation despite quad and ankle injuries.
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue got a veteran rest day on Thursday.
Transactions
Long-snapper Trent Sieg was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list and was back on the practice field Thursday. He’s expected to play on Sunday.
Carson Tinker, who was signed last week and played in place of Sieg against the Washington Football Team, was released.
”We have so much trust and confidence in him,” Cole said of Sieg. “It’s just good to get back in rhythm. But I think Carson did a great job for us.”
No excuses
It’s been a long season for the Raiders between the inconsistent play on the field and tragedy and controversy off it.
Veteran linebacker K.J. Wright has seen a lot in his decade as an NFL player and has been trying to share his experience with his teammates in his first year with the Raiders to help them navigate the emotions.
“I believe I’m here for a reason,” he said. “Everybody kept telling me that and I’m starting to see why. I have a lot of wisdom and expertise I can share with my guys. I’m thankful I’m here to be in this position because it’s time for me to show how good I am as a leader.
“We’re going to show how well we can finish this season.”
One thing he doesn’t want to listen to is excuses about how difficult the year has been for the team.
“If you’re tired, go home,” he said. “That’s my mentality. There’s no room for tired. We’re not going to be the team that’s home (when the playoffs begin).”
Mullen getting closer
Trayvon Mullen has been back on the practice field for more than a week now and could be activated before Sunday’s game.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is excited about the possibility of having one of his starting corners back for the first time since he suffered a foot injury in a loss to the Chargers on Oct. 4.
“He’s very sharp, first of all,” Bradley said of the former second-round pick out of Clemson. “He understands principles and plays at a high speed. Physically, he’s got really good length. When you have a corner with length, they can play at the line of scrimmage more. Plus, he really has a sense of confidence he brings to the group.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal
