While the bulk of the Raiders team practiced, WR Denarius Moore, RB Reshawn Jackson, and (drumroll please)LB Aaron Curry did not. Curry has missed all of training camp with knee problems so troubling that hes recently undergone stem cell therapy in an effort to fix the problem.
Curry did not appear to walk or run with any kind of limp. However, Coach Dennis Allen says the Raiders wont take Curry off of the Physically Unable to Perform list until he proves his change of direction skills are up to par.
Coach Allen also said that the window is closing for Curry to prove himself ready for the season opener.
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Rookie Miles Burris will continue to start in Currys place, although Allen says he really wants Burris to learn to play with his pads down.
Here are the other players who didnt practice on Sunday:
- WR Jacoby Ford (sprained footCardinals game)
- S Michael Huff (excused for birth of child)
- FB Manase Tonga (no explanation given by Raiders)
- C Stefen Wisniewski (calf)
- T Ed Wang (shoulder)
- T Zach Hurd (head)
- WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (shoulderCardinals game)
- DT Richard Seymour (Given day off by Coach Allen)
- QB Matt Leinert (fingerCardinals game)
Coach Allen said Jacoby Ford's foot injury is not of the lisfranc variety, the kind that sidelined Darren McFadden for the final nine plus games last season.
NFL
After four days of punting on his own, Shane Lechler punted in practice Sunday for the first time all training camp. Hes been recovering from surgery on his plant foot knee. Lechler shanked his first punt, drawing some good natured ribbing from Coach Allen. After the shank, Lechler looked like his old selfeven though he says he was happy with only one of his 12 punts.
Running back Taiwan Jones was back at practice, too. Hes missed about two weeks with hamstring trouble.
The Raiders have Monday off.