Raiders IR Update: Arnette, Incognito, Mullen all nearing return

Heading into the 2021 season, the Las Vegas Raiders put many of their game-changing players on the injured reserve list. Since then, the list has only grown. Many of the players on IR are eligible to be activated after the bye week, but that is not the case for all of them. As the Raiders sit at 5-2, here is a look at what the Las Vegas IR list looks like now.

Las Vegas currently has nine players on IR including two players with season-ending injuries. G Denzelle Good will miss the remainder of the 2021 season with a torn ACL. TE Derek Carrier has a pectoral injury that will also sideline him for the rest of the season. Among these nine players, seven are set to return sometime before January. Note that DT Gerald McCoy also suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Raiders’ Week 1 win against the Ravens, and will soon return to IR after serving a six-game suspension.

Raiders Set to Return

G Richie Incognito, CB Trayvon Mullen, and CB Damon Arnette may be the first to return to the field.

“We’re shooting for past the bye week.” interim head coach Rich Bisaccia told reporters on Monday. “Hopefully it’s the game past the bye week.”

Incognito, who has been sidelined since training camp, is hopeful to make his season debut in Week 9 at the New York Giants. Incognito has been rehabbing a calf injury. The return of Incognito, the team’s seventh captain, should bring a much-needed fire and a veteran presence to the Raiders’ young offensive line. Thus far, the Raiders’ offensive line has struggled, but the leadership of Incognito on game days may be the missing puzzle piece for the Raiders.

CB Trayvon Mullen (toe) and CB Damon Arnette (groin) have both been sidelined for the past three games after suffering injuries during the Raiders’ Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Originally, the Raiders were hopeful the two did not need to spend any time on IR, but after a week of rehab, the team decided it was best to allow them to heal in full. Both players have a chance to return in Week 9 against the Giants.

The Raiders also have LB Javin White (knee) and LB Nicholas Morrow (ankle) on injured reserve after they both suffered injuries in the preseason. Both players are eligible to return as soon as they are ready.

Rich Bisaccia told reporters last week that Morrow’s timeline was pushed back due to surgery. Bisaccia, however, does expect Morrow to return this season. Morrow, one of the Raiders’ starting linebackers during the preseason, may have to work a little harder to earn his spot back as his replacement, Denzel Perryman, has been exceptional since the Raiders acquired him in August.

LB Javin White may be the first to return out of the two, as he has been working with the Raiders’ trainers and rehabilitation team to get back to 100% as quickly as possible. White was injured before the release of the 53-man roster, leaving many to wonder if he will be placed on the active roster or be signed to the practice squad following his stint on IR.

Before Week 7, Las Vegas added two more players to IR. S Roderic Teamer (shoulder) and TE Nick Bowers (neck) found their place on the list after suffering injuries during the Raiders’ Week 6 win in Denver. Players on IR are required to be out for at least three weeks. Teamer and Bowers will be eligible to return after Week 9 vs. the Giants.

The Raiders’ bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for the team. After injuries to TE Darren Waller and RB Josh Jacobs in Week 7, this week will give players the time they need to get healthy before starting the second half of their season. The return of G Richie Incognito, CB Trayvon Mullen, and others, will be extremely helpful for the Raiders success the rest of the season.