Injuries are piling up for the Las Vegas Raiders with tight end Michael Mayer, All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby, and Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams listed out for Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce confirmed to the media that all three players would be sidelined for the game, upping their injury list to six players at key positions. ESPN listed their injury details as the following:
- WR: Davante Adams [hamstring]
- DE: Maxx Crosby [ankle]
- OT: Thayer Munford [knee/ankle]
- LB: Divine Deablo [oblique]
- TE: Michael Mayer [personal]
- CB: Decamerion Richardson [hamstring]
The six players listed joined seven on the injury list, including five on injury reserve. Third-string strong safety Marcus Epps is on IR with a knee injury, and DE Malcolm Koonce had season-ending knee surgery. Wide receiver Jeff Forman also hurt his knee, guard Jake Johanning was put on IR before the start of the season, and third-string free safety Trey Taylor joined the IR list on Aug. 28 with an undisclosed injury.
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Lineback Kana’i Mauga is listed as questionable for the game with backup QB Decamerion Richardson. Starting right tackle Thayer Munford suffered a knee injury in last week’s 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers, who had backup QB Andy Dalton pulling the strings on offense.
Pierce’s first full season as the Raiders coach has gotten off to a rocky 1-2 record, placing them third in the AFC West standings. Both the Raiders and Browns will enter the game off of a loss, with Cleveland sharing multiple injuries at impact positions, including David Njoku, Jack Conklin, and Myles Garrett – who is dealing with leg issues that slowed his practice session with the team on Thursday.
The Carolina loss deeply impacted the franchise, provoking Pierce to address the media with a fierce message aimed at his players. Without saying any names, he called out players for a lack of effort, hinting that some were more focused on collecting a paycheck than playing hard for the team.
Offensive tackle Thayer Munford was injured against the Carolina Panthers (
Getty)
“I think as the game went on, I don’t think it was the team. I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions,” Pierce said. “And we’ll make business decisions going forward, as well.”
Adams was visibly upset during the game, as cameras panned on his frustrations at halftime. The six-time Pro Bowler was heavily criticized during several plays throughout the game for lazy blocking, forcing fans to question his desire to remain on the team.
The franchise subtly acted on Pierce’s words, making roster adjustments to bolster their depth on the line. Offensive tackle Germain Ifedi was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. The team signed offensive tackles Sebastian Gutierrez and Ricky Lee, as well as defensive end Elerson Smith, to the practice squad.
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