The Oakland Raiders roster has seemingly grown thinner with each week. Unfortunately, head coach Jon Gruden indicated that Martavis Bryant could be among their losses.
Bryant has been nursing a knee injury all week. According to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Gruden expects him to miss several games:
Jon Gruden said Raiders WR Martavis Bryant (PCL) “could be a couple weeks, could be longer.” Rookie seventh-round pick Marcell Ateman to make regular-season debut Sunday.
If the Raiders were not already undermanned as it is, they certainly are now. Although Bryant has not put up strong numbers at any point this season, there is no question that he is arguably the most talented wideout left on the roster. His absence will open the door for Marcell Ateman to make his career debut.
The lack of experience in the receiving corps should be a serious cause for concern for Derek Carr. To make matters worse, Jordy Nelson has also been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a bone bruise. Gruden has indicated that Oakland may have to take a cautious approach with his injury. Nelson has also struggled to find his footing in the offense, however, he has still been Carr’s favorite receiver since Amari Cooper left.
The recent update will make it even more difficult for the struggling quarterback to find his rhythm. Fortunately, it is not as if Carr relied on his receivers much throughout the season anyway. Jared Cook and Jalen Richard have established themselves as his most reliable pass-catchers. They both currently lead the team in receptions and receiving yards. It is safe to assume that their workload will only increase moving forward.
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