Raiders LB Marquel Lee eyes return from IR
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Raiders should be getting some help at linebacker soon with the return of Marquel Lee.
Lee suffered an ankle injury against the Vikings back in Week 3 and was put on injured reserve. Now having spent eight weeks on the list, he’s eligible to return to the active roster. Coach Jon Gruden said the exact timing of Lee’s return is still uncertain.
“I don’t know that he’ll be back this week, but he’ll be back soon — either this week or next,” Gruden said. “Getting Marquel back will be a good boost for us.”
On Monday, Lee said that when he suffered the injury and was placed on IR, the idea was for him to come back and play this season. He said he developed a target date working in tandem with general manager Mike Mayock and the training staff.
“That’s what I’ve been working towards,” Lee said. “I feel like we’re going to be able to accomplish that.”
In terms of the injury itself and the rehab, Lee said he thought he’d be able to return in 2019 because he suffered a similar injury during his rookie year.
“I had no doubt in my mind that I would rehab to get back to performing and things of that nature — just how long it was going to take,” Lee said.
Lee has been practicing for the last two weeks and said he’s felt good with the process.
In his third pro season after the Raiders took him in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Lee has played 32 games, starting 18. While he played single-digit defensive snaps in each of the Raiders’ first three 2019 contests, he was a heavy contributor on special teams for this year’s club.
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