When Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden popped up in a walking boot last week, coach Dennis Allen said he didn’t think the injury was anything too serious.
It doesn’t appear that there’s any change to that prognosis, but whatever’s bothering Hayden may be enough to keep the second-year player from practicing fully until the team gets to training camp. Hayden was still in the boot on Monday and Allen said that he didn’t know whether or not the cornerback would be able to return to the field before the Raiders wrap up their offseason work.
“It’s hard to tell,” Allen said, via the Bay Area News Group. “Initially I was hopeful of (a quick return). Hopefully we’ll have him out here, because he needs the work.”
Hayden missed spring work last year after abdominal surgery and then missed the final eight games of last season with a groin injury. Hayden has been pencilled into a starting cornerback spot across from Tarell Brown with Carlos Rogers in the slot, but Hayden will have to get on the field and show the team he’s capable of doing the job to put that in ink.