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Raiders report: Several key players return to practice

Updated August 17, 2022 - 5:13 pm

There were familiar jersey numbers back at practice when the Raiders took the field on Wednesday morning.

Cornerback Trayvon Mullen and tight end Darren Waller both participated in the outdoor session at the team facility in Henderson, leading a loaded list of returnees.

Mullen has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list since the start of training camp and was on the field for the first time. Waller had last practiced on July 30 with what has been reported as a minor hamstring injury.

They weren’t alone in making their return after two off days.

Defensive tackles Bilal Nichols and Johnathan Hankins returned from the PUP list and practiced for the first time in training camp. Wide receiver Dillon Stoner also came off the list and participated in the session.

Linebacker Divine Deablo practiced for the first time since the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 4.

“It’s good to have those guys back,” wide receiver Tyron Johnson said. “More competition and just to have them is great. We’re trying to get rolling and win games, so to have them back is very good.”

Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin also returned to the field after missing several days.

There were still some players sitting out the session, including running back Josh Jacobs and linebacker Denzel Perryman.

Offensive tackle Brandon Parker still hasn’t practiced since suffering an apparent arm injury in the Hall of Fame game. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell and cornerback Anthony Averett have been out since late July.

Moving on

The competition at wide receiver shrunk by one on Tuesday when veteran Demarcus Robinson was released by the team.

Johnson and DJ Turner are two of the players fighting to make the roster at the position, but neither expected the move.

“It kind of caught me by surprise because Demarcus is a seasoned vet,” Turner said. “I think he’s going into his seventh year and he’s played on some very good teams, including a Super Bowl winner. He actually helped me out a lot as well. To see him go kind of shocked me. I wish him the best. I hope he bounces back and plays somewhere else this year and gets it done wherever he’s at.”

Johnson, who is part of his sixth organization since joining the league in 2019, understands players move on all the time.

“That’s my guy,” he said of Robinson. “I wish him the best. I was kinda sad, but it’s a business and everybody understands that.”

Snap judgment

There has been some inconsistency on shotgun snaps throughout training camp, though it’s an issue that is getting better as the games that matter start to approach.

Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo has seen progress, but that’s not enough.

“You can’t win until you keep from losing,” he said. “That’s something (Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick) say, and I absolutely believe in. One bad snap is one too many. So the fact we’ve had a few, I think it had settled down and then one reared its head last practice and obviously Hroniss (Grasu) had a high heater in the game. That’s not acceptable.”

Ready to rumble

The joint practices between the Patriots and Panthers this week have been heated, with videos of several fights trending online.

The Patriots will be in town next week, so the Raiders are getting prepared.

“There’s grown men out there,” Johnson said. “It’s hot and everybody’s getting yelled at. There’s going to be a couple fights. That’s football. I expect nothing less. We’ll try to keep it clean, but it’s football so I can’t make any promises.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.

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