The results of the MRI are in and they aren’t good for Raiders left tackle Jared Veldheer.
Raiders coach Dennis Allen announced Wednesday that Veldheer has a torn left triceps that will need to be surgically repaired. There’s no exact timetable for his return, although Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports that the plan is for Veldheer to go on injured reserve with the designation to return which suggests the Raiders are holding out hope that he’ll be able to help the team at some point this season.
To say this is a major blow to the Raiders is an understatement akin to saying that Anthony Weiner needs a little more self-control on social media. Veldheer is the Raiders’ best offensive lineman and perhaps their best offensive player and his loss will leave an already iffy looking offense even more vulnerable.
It might be easier to swallow if second-round pick Menelik Watson were close to ready, but he just came off the non-football injury list last week and wound up leaving his first practice early after re-injuring his calf. That leaves the Raiders without much choice other than starting journeyman Alex Barron, who is better known for a propensity for penalties than he is for bulldozing opposing defenders.