Raiders’ first phase of testing produces one positive test
It was picture day for the Raiders at their practice facility in Henderson on Saturday and was almost picture-perfect when it came to COVID-19 testing.
As the 90 or so players rotated their way in and out of the building for photos, the Raiders learned that all but one player tested negative for the coronavirus over the last 10 days of screening.
That player was running back Devontae Booker, who the Raiders signed as a free agent during the offseason. He was put on the temporary COVID-19 injured reserve list on Friday and will spend the next week in quarantine before being eligible to return.
Aside from Booker, the Raiders got through the first screening in good shape. The 75 or so veterans who began their testing process on Tuesday now have access to the facility for standard physicals and equipment fitting.
They will join Raiders rookies and quarterbacks — all of whom previously completed their first screening — next week as the club begins a nine-day strength and conditioning program, with one mandatory day off, in which players will take part in daily weight room and on-field conditioning workouts lasting 60 minutes each.
In addition, players will participate in daily 60-minute football-related walk-throughs over the first four days followed by four days of daily walk-throughs lasting 75 minutes.
This will also begin the two-week daily COVID-19 testing for all players and coaches. If the rate of positive test results falls below five percent at the conclusion of the two weeks, players will begin being tested every other day. If it’s above five percent — or at any point rises above that threshold — players will go back to daily testing.
At the conclusion of the strength and conditioning period, the Raiders will begin a five-day on-field ramp-up period, with one mandatory off day, in which players will participate in daily football-related practices and daily walk-throughs totaling no longer than 3.5 hours per day. The football practices will begin at 90 minutes and increase by 15 minutes each day to a maximum of 120 minutes.
At the conclusion of the ramp-up period, the Raiders will begin a period in which 14 padded practices are allowed up until September 6th — or exactly one week before their season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.