Raiders’ injured players closing in on a return

In major need of reinforcements, the Raiders might be getting much needed help soon.

Right tackle Trent Brown and wide receiver Henry Ruggs returned to practice Wednesday ahead of Sunday’s against the Chiefs in Kansas City.

Both were listed as limited practice participants on the Raiders’ injury report.

“I don’t know if they’re going to play this week or not, but it’s good to have them back out on the field,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said.

Brown has missed all but three plays of the season’s first four games nursing a calf injury that kept him off the practice field for almost all of training camp. While he has not practiced in more than three weeks, he has been getting work done behind the scenes.

“Oh, we’ve been working Trent for a long time,” Gruden said. “So he wouldn’t be out there practicing if he wasn’t close to being ready.”

Ruggs has missed the last two games dealing with knee and hamstring issues. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said it’s obvious how much it’s bothering the rookie from Alabama to not be on the field.

The Raiders lost both games.

“Not playing really crushes him,” Carr said. “Whereas I’ve been around some guys where not playing isn’t the worst thing in the world to them. That shows you his football character and how much it means to him.”

Their absences over these last few weeks have been felt for different reasons.

Brown is the anchor of an offensive line that, when intact, is considered one of the best in the NFL.

That group, though, has been together for only three plays after injuries to Brown and left guard Richie Incognito, who has played just 74 snaps over the first four games and is on the injured reserve list with an Achilles injury.

Going back to last season, when injuries plagued the offensive line over the last month of the season, the unit has been fully intact for just three plays over the last eight games.

The Raiders are 3-5 over that span. While defensive issues have played a role in that record, there is no doubt an inability to get the starting offensive line on the field for an extended period of time has been a major factor as well.

That makes the absence of Brown so pronounced. The Raiders’ offense is simply better when he is on the field.

“It will be nice to see when we’re all full strength and playing week after week together what we’re capable of,” Carr said. “Hopefully we can get healthy and see what can happen.”

Ruggs injured himself in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. While he returned to the game and then played a full game a week later against the New Orleans Saints, it was obvious he was not 100 percent.

Nevertheless, both the Panthers and Saints had to be aware of the speed of Ruggs, even at a diminished state. That opened the field for other teammates. His presence diverts defensive focus away from players like Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow and Josh Jacobs.

That was an element the Raiders sorely missed the last two weeks when Ruggs’ knee injury morphed into a hamstring issue as well and he was unable to play.

“Henry has shown some great signs of some great attributes, things you love to see,” said Carr. “A work ethic, route-running ability. I wish we would have got to see more of it the past few games. But because he was hurt, we couldn’t see it.“

Depending on how things play out the next few days, that might not be the case for long.

“I know he’s excited and hoping that he’ll get to play,” Carr said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.