Injury report: Raiders' Mack confident, Cooper limited

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ALAMEDA –- Khalil Mack’s absence from Raiders practice wasn’t a long one. The prolific edge rusher was back on the field Thursday, after missing the previous day’s session with a knee injury.

He spoke to the press before practice and was confident in his ability to play Sunday’s game at the Denver Broncos. 

“Oh yeah,” Mack said. “I feel good, really good (about that).”

That was before he participated fully in the practice session.

That’s a positive for the Raiders defense, because Mack has been his productive best recently. He has four sacks in the past two weeks, and has been disruptive against the run. Even at less than 100 percent, he’s tough to deal with.

“He’s always been a superb player,” Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said. “He plays on both sides. They play him a little bit everywhere on third down. (Stopping Mack is) always our No. 1 issue.”

It’s increasingly likely Denver must contend with another top flight player. Center Rodney Hudson practiced fully on Thursday, which is a real step in the right direction for someone who has missed three of the past four games. He isn't out of the woods yet. His sprained right ankle’s response to the workout is more important than anything else to his playing status. He worked out Thursday last week, but wasn’t able to recover for Friday’s walk-thru or the Week 13 loss to Kansas City.

Running back Taiwan Jones returned to practice, sporting a huge brace on his knee. Safety Charles Woodson returned to practice after his routine Wednesday off.

The Raiders participation report wasn't all good news. Receiver Amari Cooper was limited with a foot injury. Head coach Jack Del Rio is not available after practice, so the severity of this new ailment was not immediately known. 

Raiders participation report
Did not practice:
S Nate Allen (knee), DE Shelby Harris (ankle), LB Neiron Ball (knee)
Limited practice: RB Taiwan Jones (knee), LB Korey Toomer (ankle), WR Amari Cooper (foot)
Full practice: CB Keith McGill (ankle), LB Khalil Mack (knee), S Charles Woodson (shoulder), C Rodney Hudson (ankle)

Broncos participation report
Did not practice:
RB C.J. Anderson (ankle), S Omar Bolden (hamstring), S David Bruton (knee), RB Ronnie Hillman (foot), QB Peyton Manning (foot), ILB Danny Trevathan (concussion), S T.J. Ward (ankle), OLB Shane Ray (illness)
Limited practice: TE Vernon Davis (concussion), WR Andre Caldwell (quad), TE Owen Daniels (knee), WR Bernie Fowler (ankle), G Evan Mathis (ankle), OT Michael Schofield (ankle), S Darian Stewart (hamstring), DE Vance Walker (shoulder), OLB DeMarcus Ware (back), NT Sylvester Williams (ankle)
Full practice: OT Ryan Harris (knee), C Matt Paradis (ankle), WR Emmanuel Sanders (ankle/finger), G Louis Vasquez (groin)

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