Raiders to get Miles Burris, Menelik Watson back this week

After missing the entire season to this point, Miles Burris and Menelik Watson are expected back at practice this week for the Raiders, head coach Dennis Allen said in his Monday press conference.

Burris has missed the entire off-season after his recovery from a knee surgery in January hadn't progressed as hoped. He was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list before the season and was eligible to return as of last week. The team does not need to activate him right away. They have three weeks to do so.

Watson has hardly even practiced for the team since they drafted him in the second round last April. He was placed on the non-football injury list with a calf injury to begin training camp. He came back to practice for all of ten minutes before re-aggravating the injury. He then returned again on the final day of training camp.

The Raiders put him in at left tackle in their final preseason game and he looked quite good. But come the week of practices heading into the regular season, he banged knees in practice and was out again. Just when he looked to be ready to come back from the knee injury, he re-aggravated his calf injury again.

Up to this point, there was no indication he was to return any time soon. He still may not be active this week as the team probably would prefer to ease him back to not risk another setback.

The interesting thing is, it was fellow right tackle, Tony Pashos, who actually looked like he would be coming back, not Watson. Pashos had been working out along the side at practice with Burris which is usually an indication the next step is returning to practice. He still may return this week but we will have to wait until Wednesday to find out.

Allen also mentioned Jared Veldheer is seeing a specialist in Los Angeles to gage how close he is to returning. He has been on partial season injured reserve with a torn triceps and is officially eligible as of this week.

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