LT Donald Penn one of 3 Raiders unable to start camp
OAKLAND, Calif. — Donald Penn figured to enter training camp in a fight for his roster standing.
That bout won’t begin in the first round.
Penn was one of three Raiders players placed Tuesday on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. He underwent foot surgery last December and hoped to be ready for training camp, but he wasn’t cleared before Friday’s first full-squad practice. Rookie first-round pick Kolton Miller will continue to receive an extended look as the Raiders’ starting left tackle.
Raiders LT Donald Penn (foot surgery) not yet cleared for practice. He'll start training camp on active PUP. Same for DT Eddie Vanderdoes (knee) and rookie second-round DT PJ Hall, per @FieldYates.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 24, 2018
Defensive tackles Eddie Vanderdoes and PJ Hall also will begin camp on PUP.
Vanderdoes suffered a torn ACL in the Dec. 31 season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. There was some optimism he’d be ready, but the timetable ultimately proved too narrow.
The nature of Hall’s injury was unclear.
Regardless the severity, it represents a clear setback.
In April, the Raiders drafted Hall during the second round out of Sam Houston State. Given his jump from college football’s lower Division I level to the NFL, there was an expected learning curve this spring. Mo Hurst Jr., a defensive tackle from Michigan who fell to the fifth round amid medical concerns, outshone his fellow rookie in practice.
Hall needs practice reps to develop a meaningful role for the Raiders in 2018. Those won’t come right way.
All three players on PUP remain on the active roster, so no roster spots were cleared with Tuesday’s transaction. Raiders veterans officially will report to training camp Thursday in Napa, California. Rookies and select veterans arrived on Monday.
Rookie cornerback Nick Nelson, a fourth-round pick, notably is not on PUP. He will make his practice debut this week after having suffered a torn meniscus at a private workout before the draft.
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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
