Raiders report: Rookie TE battling injury; star RB returns to practice

Rookie tight end Michael Mayer is working through a toe injury that occurred just as he was starting to become a prominent part of the Raiders’ passing attack.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said Friday. “I really thought we were on a roll as an offense and I was really finding my role. Aidan (O’Connell) is starting to really click, and we were really starting to bring it all together.”

Mayer has missed practices this week while he rehabs. He jogged in the pool for an extended session Friday.

A team source indicated Mayer will not play Monday at Kansas City, though the former Notre Dame star isn’t ruling himself out.

“It’s day to day,” he said. “I’m not entirely sure right now, but I’m getting better every day. I’m working in the pool, doing rehab two or three hours a day and doing what I can, controlling what I can control.”

Mayer is third on the team in receiving yards with 304 through 14 games. He scored his second touchdown of the season in a blowout win over the Chargers in Week 14 and caught four of his five targets.

But on a third-down reception in the third quarter, he suffered the injury that has his status in question.

“It was a little stick route,” Mayer said. “He came right up behind me, and his body weight landed on the back of my heels. My toes got dug into the ground and my calf got sprained.”

Injury report

Running back Josh Jacobs was back on the practice field in a limited capacity Friday as he tries to work his way back from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the Chargers game. He also has an illness designation.

Linebacker Robert Spillane, who was limited Thursday with an illness, was a full participant Friday. Offensive guard Dylan Parham is also sick, but was upgraded from no participation to limited.

Defensive end Maxx Crosby was a nonparticipant, continuing a pattern of managing a lingering knee injury.

Left tackle Kolton Miller had a limited practice for the second straight day. He’s dealing with a shoulder injury that has cost him four of the past five games.

Receiver DJ Turner has not practiced all week because of a shoulder injury. Center Andre James has been limited both days with an ankle injury that kept him out of the Chargers game.

Silvera returns

Rookie defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera was brought back to the practice squad two days after he was released.

Silvera, a seventh-round pick out of Arizona State, said he harbors no hard feelings over the transaction.

“It’s just the business,” he said. “You know how it goes. Stuff happens.”

Silvera has appeared in two games and made two tackles. He had been a healthy scratch since going on Instagram live from the Allegiant Stadium locker room after getting his most extensive playing time in a win over the Giants and complaining about how long it took for him to crack the lineup.

Silvera listened to other opportunities during his brief stay away from the team but didn’t want to start over.

“I knew I had the choice to come back,” he said. “I knew they wanted me back, and I really wanted to be a part of what they’ve got going on here.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.