Injuries are quietly starting to mount at Raiders camp.
Wide receiver Louis Murphy will miss at least the season opener after undergoing surgery this week on either an injured hamstring or his groin. Days before the surgery coach Hue Jackson swore that Murphy wasn’t even hurt.
Starting cornerback Chris Johnson also underwent an undisclosed surgery this week. Jackson said on Monday that Johnson was only missing practice this week because he was a veteran getting time off.
“Dang, I wish I would have known,” safety Michael Huff told Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune. “Nobody tells me anything.”
The Raiders think Johnson could be back for the opener. If not, rookie third round pick DeMarcus Van Dyke could be starting.
The injury issues don’t end there. Safety Mike Mitchell hasn’t practiced in two weeks. Center Samson Satele was taken to the hospital Wednesday. Wideout Chaz Schilens is hurt once again. Wideout Jacoby Ford hasn’t returned yet from a broken hand.
There is an expectation in Oakland the team will build off last year’s impressive 8-8 record, but this team has a lot of questions. They removed a successful head coach and the offensive line is in huge transition. They also lost their best player (Nnamdi Asomugha) without remotely replacing him.
We know Yahoo’s Mike Silver thinks the Raiders are going to the AFC Championship, but a slide back to 5-11 irrelevance seems more likely.