Raiders hoping to finally turn the corner with the injury bug
Derek Hegna
Host · Writer
Injuries are an unfortunately natural occurrence in the sports world. All it takes is one break or tear at the wrong time to completely change the dynamic surrounding an entire season.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, they might be hoping the storm decides to pass through at some point soon.
Since Ashton Jeanty went down with an ankle injury in the latter half of training camp, the Raiders have continued to be dogged by questions about the star running back’s health. While Jeanty has still enjoyed production so far this season (his 251 receiving yards are second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Jaylen Warren for most among running backs), there have been moments where some have expressed concern.
While the Raiders have been adamant about the health of Jeanty, the team has still rolled with a combination of their three running backs. With Mike Washington ruled as questionable with foot and back injuries that kept him out of the last couple days of practice, Jeanty will still be in some level of committee with Dylan Laube and potentially UDFA Roman Hemby.
“We’re still counting on all three guys that are activated to go,” said Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak on Friday.
However, while Jeanty will remain a concern until all doubt is eradicated, the Raiders appear to be finding their way back to full strength.
Last week against the Buffalo Bills saw the return of wide receiver Jalen Nailor from the concussion protocol, while Dont’e Thornton Jr. is pushing to make his 2026 season debut despite being ruled out against the Rams. Thornton, who has been out since the early part of training camp with a hamstring injury, was at the end of his 21-day practice window, needs to be activated by Wednesday in order to avoid being shut down for his season. While he still lacks a clearly defined role in Kubiak’s offense, he adds a vertical element that the Raiders can use to take the lid off of opposing defenses and open things up for other targets.
“He’s making big progress. He’s done a lot of good things in practice,” said Kubiak on Thornton’s recovery. “Still working back into getting his football legs back after missing a lot of time, but I’ve been really pleased with his effort, with his detail. He’s close.”
For a Raiders receiver corps that is in continuous need of producers, any addition to the group is a welcome one.
On the defensive side, defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway also made his return from concussion protocol, wearing a red non-contact jersey during Thursday’s practice before arriving in a normal jersey for Friday. The second-year defensive lineman appeared on the verge of a breakout with a strong preseason, but the concussion and season-long inconsistency from the position group have put a damper on the enthusiasm.
Confirmed to be in the active lineup on Sunday, the Raiders now hope Hemingway can get himself back into the swing of things in short order, and the player could certainly use some upwards momentum.
“Brings a lot of confidence,” said Kubiak on Hemingway’s return. “He’s playing really good football and we’re really excited to have him back. He means a lot to our defense.”
If the Raiders can get these players back from injuries and they return to form, that would go a long way towards getting this season back on track.
