WR Meyers in protocol after 2-TD Raiders debut

HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, coach Josh McDaniels said Monday, although he had no additional details.

Meyers was hit in the head by an elbow from Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson as Meyers slipped on the wet grass in the Raiders’ game-sealing drive of their 17-16 Week 1 victory at Empower Field at Mile High. In fact, Jackson being whistled for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty allowed the Raiders to run out the clock, as Meyers was a yard short of a first down near midfield on the third-down play with less than three minutes to play as rain fell.

Before leaving the game, Meyers had a game-high nine catches, on 10 targets, for 81 yards and two touchdowns, the first multi-TD-catch game of his career, as he built an instant chemistry with new Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Meyers, who played his first four NFL seasons with the New England Patriots, came to Las Vegas on a three-year, $33 million free agent contract in March.

“He’s been very consistent, honestly,” Garoppolo said of Meyers after the game. “He’s the same guy every day. Comes out, puts in the work and as a quarterback, when you have a guy like that, it makes it easy. You can trust them.”

Meyers initially stayed on the ground for a few minutes after the hit but walked off with help from trainers. He was walking around and talking with teammates after the game in the Raiders’ locker room, but he was unavailable for comment at the time, as he was being evaluated for the concussion.

The Raiders will practice in West Virginia this week in preparation for Sunday’s game at the Buffalo Bills.

McDaniels was asked if defensive end Chandler Jones — who has taken to social media the past week to criticize the team and organization and has alternately said he did not and did want to play while being away from the team — might join the Raiders this week.

“I have no updates on Chandler,” McDaniels said. “I’m going to stick with what I said last week.”

Which is that it is a personal issue with Jones.

Advertisement