Better late than never for Raiders, DT Clinton McDonald

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Clinton McDonald has one regret about his current Raiders tenure.

It didn’t start sooner.

In March, the defensive tackle visited the team as a free agent. But McDonald failed a physical with an undisclosed medical issue and chose to sign with the Denver Broncos rather than wait to receive clearance from the Raiders.

Looking back, McDonald wishes he handled the situation differently.

“I should have just been patient and signed here,” McDonald, 31, said. “I made a rash decision. Knowing how the league goes, I made the wrong decision. But I’m glad to be back here and back with the coaching staff and them having the confidence in my ability and my hustle.”

His coaches were quick to use him.

Last Thursday, about five months later than hoped, McDonald participated in his first Raiders practice. Three days later, the team leaned on him more than it hoped, giving him 52 defensive snaps in Denver against his former team. That workload led all defensive linemen.

The unit was without tackles Justin Ellis (foot, injured reserve) and P.J. Hall (ankle).

“No. 1, we didn’t have much of a choice,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said Thursday. “No. 2, Clinton has played in our system, so he’s familiar with what we do in our system. He was with me in Cincinnati, so it was a little bit easier of a transition for him going in there. He did a tremendous job on short notice, playing that many snaps.”

The Broncos released McDonald on Sept. 1.

Well before then, there was a “gut feeling” he was supposed to be in Oakland, McDonald said.

The Raiders employ a 4-3 scheme compared with the Broncos’ 3-4. His pass rush abilities seemed a better fit for the former. Similarly, as Guenther referenced, there is familiarity for McDonald in the Bay Area. Guenther was on the Bengals’ coaching staff in 2009 when they drafted McDonald in the seventh round. He spent two seasons there.

“This is a 4-3,” McDonald said. “This is what I’ve been playing since I’ve been in the league. … When you’re used to doing something your whole life and you get out of the mold of being comfortable — and life is not about being comfortable — but learning a whole new system, sometimes your first choice was the best choice you should have made.”

All is well that ends well.

McDonald is here now.

Notable

■ Rookie cornerback Nick Nelson was added to the injury report on Thursday. He was limited in practice with a hamstring ailment. Running back Marshawn Lynch (shoulder), center Rodney Hudson (ankle) and guard Gabe Jackson (pec) also were limited participants.

■ Hall was the only Raiders player not to practice. He will miss his second straight game Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

■ Rookie offensive tackle Brandon Parker (ankle) missed practice Wednesday but returned as a full participant. Wide receiver Dwayne Harris (foot) and cornerback Leon Hall (illness) also worked in full.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.