Raiders set to try out kickers after injury to Mike Nugent

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Raiders are preparing to be without Mike Nugent.

The veteran kicker has a hip injury, placing his status in doubt for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. The ailment presumably occurred Sunday during the team’s 28-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Multiple free-agent kickers are scheduled to work out Tuesday morning at club headquarters.

A signing would represent the latest turnover for Raiders specialists.

Some of this was planned. In the offseason, the team hired a new coordinator and moved on from its 2017 punter, kicker, long snapper and kickoff returner. That returner, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, also served as one of its two gunners.

But the team carried two kickers into training camp, left-footed incumbent Giorgio Tavecchio and right-footed rookie Eddy Pineiro. Tavecchio was waived in early August to sign Nugent, whose righty stance eased operations for the team’s holder, punter Johnny Townsend.

Pineiro suffered a season-ending groin injury in camp. Long snapper Andrew DePaola suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of Week 1. With Nugent likely out Sunday, the new battery of specialists could consist of rookie long snapper Trent Sieg, rookie holder Townsend and a kicker to be named.

More Raiders: Follow all of our Raiders coverage online at reviewjournal.com/Raiders and @NFLinVegas on Twitter.

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