
ARLINGTON, Texas – The Raiders broke training camp Aug. 17 without seeing first-round cornerback Gareon Conley in practice. Head coach Jack Del Rio said then that “the next few weeks will be huge,” in determining whether Conley could be ready for the regular season.
Those weeks Del Rio referred to are almost up.
A shin injury has kept the Ohio State product out since the team’s June minicamp, and while progress has been made, the regular season is coming fast. He started running on Aug. 13, for the first time in two months, and was doing side work with a trainer last week. He has been running and cutting and changing direction.
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Conley has made gains, but remains on the physically unable to perform list. Del Rio wouldn’t say whether he’ll practice this week.
“I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful,” Del Rio said after Saturday’s 24-20 exhibition loss to Dallas at AT&T Stadium. “He continues to work on the side. He ran again today. That’s encouraging. He’s coming along.”
The Raiders have an abbreviated schedule leading up to Thursday’s exhibition finale versus Seattle. They’ll conduct walk-throughs on Monday and Wednesday, sandwiching a Tuesday practice.
Games count on Sept. 10, when the Raiders’ regular season opens at Tennessee. They’d certainly like Conley to contribute right away and help an ailing secondary. That seems difficult, though he’s been praised for work in the meeting room by players and coaches alike.
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“He’s been real in-tune to everything,” veteran cornerback David Amerson said Thursday. “He’s always taking notes, asking questions, paying attention outside on the practice field. I’ve told him and a couple of older guys have told him to stay in tune. Control what you can control. Physically, you’re hurt right now but mentally, you’ve got to be locked in and getting the mental reps to be prepared. He’s doing all the right things. I think as far as what he can do right now, he’s doing a great job.”