Sunday, just after taking my seat in the press box prior to the Raiders’ game against the Texans, there was one player on the field warming up. It was Darren Waller.
Waller had been ruled OUT for the game with a hamstring injury, but based on the way he was moving it sure didn’t look like it.
That’s not to say he wasn’t injured. I have no doubt he was. He had left the team’s Week five game against the Chiefs with the injury and didn’t return. And it’s important to be careful with such injuries to ensure there are no setbacks or aggravations.
What it did say to me was that his injury was not so severe that he would be out long. He was running and cutting well and walked with no limp whatsoever as he left the field and headed to the locker room.
Today, head coach Josh McDaniels revealed that Waller will indeed return to the practice field for the Raiders, saying of Waller “You’ll see him out there today.”
This is, of course, no guarantee he will play against the Saints, but it certainly raises the odds significantly the Raiders could have their Pro Bowl tight end back this week.
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