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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterSep 27, 2024, 03:19 PM ET
- Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role – writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA’s Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis’ Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders will be without All-Pro receiver Davante Adams when they take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and they might very well be without Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby and starting right tackle Thayer Munford Jr.
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce originally ruled Adams, Crosby and Munford out during his Friday media availability, but the team’s injury report listed Crosby and Munford as doubtful late Friday afternoon, though no information was available related to their respective status upgrades.
Adams sustained a hamstring injury in practice Thursday, and Crosby has been dealing with a left high ankle sprain sustained on the second-to-last play of the Raiders’ Week 2 win at the Baltimore Ravens. Munford is dealing with knee and ankle ailments.
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The Raiders will also be without two other starters — linebacker Divine Deablo (oblique) and tight end Michael Mayer (personal reason). Pierce said other players such as tight ends Harrison Bryant and Brock Bowers and receiver Jakobi Meyers will have to take advantage of the opportunities presented.
“But collectively, nobody needs to be Davante Adams,” Pierce said. “I don’t need another Davante. There’s only one, right? I just need the best version of Jakobi Meyers.
“We’ll see what happens come Sunday, but we really feel [positive] giving these guys the last 12 hours and now today, tomorrow to get ready for the game.”
Adams has 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown through three games. He last sat out a game in 2021, with the Green Bay Packers.
Meyers says Adams will be missed.
“But there’s a lot of talented individuals who will probably get more opportunities this week,” said Meyers, who has 14 catches for 152 yards and a TD catch. “So all I want to do is just be a big brother or something, just to show them, as long as we go out there and do what we’re supposed to do, man, believe in ourselves, we’re going to be all right.”
Bowers, the Raiders’ first-round draft pick at No. 13 overall, leads all NFL tight ends with 18 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown and figures to be even more involved.
“We’re obviously going to miss them a lot this weekend and other people are going to have to step up,” Bowers said. “So, I mean, we’re just going to have to do what we have to do to win, and see what happens.”
Crosby, who is in his sixth NFL season, is in danger of sitting out the first game of his career. He was noncommittal Thursday when asked if he thought his injury could sideline him.
“I’m not worried about that right now,” said Crosby, who was hampered against Carolina last week, when he did not have a tackle for a loss and a quarterback hit in the same game for the first time since Week 2 of the 2023 season. “I’m just worried about today. Every single day I’m in here — first in, last out — doing everything I can to get healthy. So that’s all I’m worried about right now.
“That’s the hardest part. I mean, I play one way, and when you’re not able to do certain things, it’s tough. But I did everything I can to try to produce and I feel like I did some things, some good things, but it’s tough. I have a damn Timberland-boot-size wrapping on my leg, and it’s, it’s tough, but at the end of the day, I don’t complain. Like I said, I’m focused on getting healthy, just taking it one day at a time.”
The Raiders lost their other starting defensive end, Malcolm Koonce, to a season-ending knee injury in practice two days before the season opener.
Tyree Wilson, whom the Raiders took with the No. 7 overall pick in 2023, is expected to play a bigger role, along with Janarius Robinson, K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Snowden.
“Don’t worry about being Maxx Crosby,” Pierce said he told Wilson. “Don’t put a cape on. Don’t try to be 98, be No. 9. Be 97. Be 44. Be 49. And just give us your best. Don’t try to be that guy to be the hero of the game. Just be a team player, be a D-end.
“You’ve got to set the edge, set the edge. You’re dropping, you drop. If you got to go inside on the stunt, just run that career. Just do your job. And I think if we do that enough across the board, we’ll get the results we want.”
