Oakland Raiders: 5 Observations From The First Week Of Camp

4. Can the team shake the injury bug going around:

May 20, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tackle Menelik Watson (71) at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Raiders have not been immune from the rash of injuries that have plagued the league. They have not suffered any major injuries thus far, but a litany of many small injuries have cropped up over these first several days.

The players that have not suited up at all during camp, so far, have been defensive tackle Pat Sims, rookie offensive tackle Menelik Watson, and linebacker Miles Burris. The most disturbing is Burris, because he is slated to be one of the Raiders’ starting outside linebackers and he has failed to properly recover from his January knee surgery. His absence is crucial as his versatility to play inside and outside was a big part of Oakland’s defensive plans.

The Watson injury is strange, due to the lack of information surrounding the injury. It is unknown the true nature of the injury and the potential time table of return. He is missing a key piece of development time, which could hamper his growth this season.

Since then, the Raiders have 13 players injured in just five days of camp. These players include notables: Jacoby Ford, Kaluka Maiava, Vance Walker, and Conner Vernon. Several others players have missed practices due to minor injuries, such as, Sio Moore and Sam McGuffie.

With the Raiders being such a young team, practice time is valuable to their growth. So, time missed to injury becomes even more magnified, as these players fall further behind the learning curve. Their health is going to be key to how quickly they are able to become a competitive squad this season.