The last thing the Oakland Raiders can afford is injuries. They certainly have some young and emerging talent on their hands, but that is not necessarily the case the deeper the roster goes. With training camp in full swing, one thing Dennis Allen is trying to figure is who will be the team's go-to wide receivers. With a few candidates in place, one injury could let others step forward.
Speedster Jacoby Ford has already missed a couple practices with an undisclosed injury. Naturally, Allen is not about to dive into what the injury is, just noting the team desperately needs the wide receiver on the field and to begin putting in work.
In two years with the Raiders, Ford has garnered a reputation for explosive speed with big play-making abilities. Ford's rookie year included breaking a Raiders' record, putting up three kickoff returns for touchdowns, along with 470 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The injury could be due to a lack of conditioning, something Ford says he is working on.
"You can't just jump right back into it. Regardless of how good you are, you just won't be right back to how you were. You definitely have to get back into football shape and get your football legs back in front of you," Ford said.
Dealing with foot and hamstring problems over the last two years, Ford has certainly spent a lot of time on the sidelines, something Oakland cannot let happen this year. As Matt Flynn emerges as the starting quarterback, he recognizes just how important having Ford on the field is.
"He's a weapon, when healthy, that we need to utilize whatever way we can, whether it's running routes, handoffs, or whatever," Flynn said. "We have to find a way to utilize that speed and quickness and getting him into the open field."
In Ford's absence, several players have emerged as excellent options for offensive weapons. Denarius Moore is the assumed No. 1 guy, especially with Ford off the field. He has the size and speed of a top receiver, but drops have plagued his completion percentage.
"He's going to have to go up and make the contested plays, and he's going to have to make sure he doesn't have those concentration drops that he had at times last year," Allen told CSN Bay Area. "[It's] as much about the mental part of it as the physical part of it."
Another emerging candidate is Rod Streater who is entering his second-year with the team. He has been one of the biggest standouts so far in training camp. Early reports are he is catching every ball thrown his way and is no longer struggling with drops.
