Raiders report: Starting offensive lineman returns after injury scare

COSTA MESA, Calif. — Thayer Munford briefly left the field early in Tuesday’s practice, providing a temporary scare for a Raiders team already down two offensive linemen because of injury.

Fortunately for the team, the projected starting right tackle returned for the final portion of practice and participated in team drills.

Munford appeared to injure his left hand during a drill. He spoke with the training staff on the sidelines for several minutes before heading to the locker room at Jack Hammett Sports Complex. He returned with the hand area heavily taped.

“It’s a common football injury for us offensive linemen,” Munford said. “But I’ll be fine. Just stay ready for tomorrow and going against Maxx (Crosby).”

Rookie DJ Glaze took the majority of Munford’s reps while he was out. Veteran Andrus Peat would probably get the assignment should Munford get hurt during the season, but Peat is currently operating as the first-team left tackle because Kolton Miller is not practicing with the team as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

Miller is joined on the physically unable to perform list by rookie left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, who is expected to begin practicing soon.

Munford said he was eager to get back on the practice field because the reps are so valuable, especially when matched up one-on-one against Crosby so often.

While Munford admits he has had some ups and downs in his battles with the defensive superstar, he believes he is also pushing Crosby to take his game to another level.

“I can’t give him enough credit for making me better,” Munford said. “You might see him doing his stuff, and he might beat me a couple times, but it makes me better, and it makes him better, because when I beat him, he knows he has to get better.”

No deal

Defensive end Malcolm Koonce is entering the final year of his contract and could be in line for a big payday if he continues to play the way he did late last season.

But he insists a new contract is not on his mind.

“I’m not trying to think about none of that,” he said. “We haven’t talked about anything like that yet.”

Pep talk

Former Raiders offensive lineman Richie Incognito has been spotted several times at training camp, and coach Antonio Pierce had him address the team Monday night to prepare it for the first day in pads.

“It was pretty intense,” Pierce said with a laugh. “Whatever you think he said, he said.”

Incognito followed up the speech by walking through the stretch lines at practice and sharing words of encouragement for the linemen.

Munford said Incognito has earned the room’s respect.

“It’s him being a very, very old guy, of course,” he said jokingly. “But really just watching his film and seeing how nasty he played on the line and knowing what we want to do is play on that level. He talked in a positive way about how we don’t get enough credit for what we do, but that’s not what it’s about. Getting that from him meant a lot to us.”

Keeping cool

Temperatures topped out around 78 degrees Tuesday in Orange County.

It made for a far more comfortable first day in pads than the team would have experienced in Henderson.

“It’s beautiful,” guard Dylan Parham said. “I’m not trying to leave. The wind is blowing right now; it’s been great weather. I’m not sweating as soon as I wake up in the morning.”

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