After a near week-long scare, four members of the Raiders starting offensive line are off the Reserve/COVID-19 list and are available to play on Sunday against the Buccaneers.
When starting right tackle Trent Brown tested positive for the coronavirus, the remaining starters were placed on the list because of close contact with Brown. Consecutive negative tests by the four were reported recently, and according to ESPN’s Field Yates, they’re clear to play.
All four Raiders OL who were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list due to exposure to RT Trent Brown have been removed from the list and ARE available to play tomorrow: LT Kolton Miller, C Rodney Hudson, G Gabe Jackson and G Denzelle Good.
DL David Irving has also been elevated.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 24, 2020
This is obviously fantastic news for Las Vegas. The Tampa Bay defense is formidable, having dominated quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last week. Unfortunately, Brown is out. So is starting safety Johnathan Abram. He had close contact with Brown on Tuesday so there isn’t enough time to clear him by gameday.
Additionally, the Raiders lost a primetime opportunity. Las Vegas was slated to play on national television on Sunday night, but the game was moved by the NFL for added schedule flexibility.
Regardless, the Raiders would be wise to take a look at their safety protocols within the organization so they can avoid close calls like this. It’s been fined by the NFL for a lack of mask-wearing on the sideline. Coach Jon Gruden was also fined. Multiple players also faced discipline for attending an indoor event and not following mask-wearing mandates.
But for now, the news is good. The Raiders simply need these four linemen to play on Sunday to function as a team. Thankfully, that is now the case.
