Raiders Not Ready To Rule Out Amari Cooper For Sunday

Before Friday, no one expected Amari Cooper to play on Sunday. But after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday, there’s a chance it will happen.

And if he’s healthy enough to contribute in some capacity, expect Cooper to play.

Here’s why.

If the Raiders lose to the Chiefs, there’s only a very slim chance they will reach the playoffs – the Chiefs would likely own the AFC West tiebreaker and Kansas City’s schedule is probably too easy for the Raiders to pass them in three weeks.

The Raiders face the Cowboys, Eagles, and Chargers to close the season – all of whom are fighting for the playoffs (and arguably playing better than the Raiders).

If the Raiders beat Kansas City, they’ll own the tiebreaker with the Chiefs and the division would probably be decided by the winner of the week 17 matchup between the Raiders and Chiefs.

As his ankle is concerned, if Cooper is healthy enough to run and cut, there’s a good chance he’ll be on the field. The long-term risks to playing with an ankle at less than 100% simply aren’t as great as returning early from other injuries.

Nevertheless, wide receivers put tremendous strain in their lower legs so if Cooper is not well enough to contribute on Sunday, the decision should be relatively easy to make.

twitter: @raidersbeat

 

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