Raiders long snapper Jon Condo missed practiced Thursday with a concussion, but coach Dennis Allen has not ruled him out for Sunday’s game at Miami.
“He was feeling a lot better today,” Allen said. “He’s going to be a day-by-day process. He’ll go on the trip with us. He’ll be there with us. If he’s ready to go, then he’ll play.”
If Condo’s not ready, then rookie long snapper Nick Guess will be promoted from the practice squad and make his NFL debut against Miami.
“He’s done a nice job for us,” Allen said of Guess. “He’s putting it in the right spots, and we’ve been able to handle all the snaps, so that’s been a good thing.”
Center of attention: Allen said Stefen Wisniewski and Alex Parsons are still competing to start Sunday’s game.
Parsons started the opener, in part due to a strong camp but also because Wisniewski missed most of training camp with a calf injury after missing the entire offseason program recovering from shoulder surgery. Wisniewski started last year at left guard.
“When you come into it, and the fact that Wisniewski had played a lot last year, we kind of figured that he would be a guy that we could count on,” Allen said. “Then with the injury coming into OTAs and minicamps and then the calf injury in the preseason, it kind of set him back a little bit. It’s been a process of trying to get him back but also Alex has functioned well at the center position. We like competition, we look for competition because it makes all of us better.”
Allen said he won’t choose a starter until after Friday’s practice. But the fact that Wisniewski has been taking the initial snaps in drills with the first team this week is a sign that he’ll likely start against Miami. The Raiders’ running game, which bogged down in the second half against San Diego, could use Wisniewski’s skill and power as a run blocker.
Denarius Moore update: WR Denarius Moore (hamstring) made it through another practice without a setback and continued to increase his workload.
“I don’t know whether he’ll start or not, but I’m very hopeful that he’s going to be up and ready to go,” Allen said. “It’ll be exciting if we’re able to get him back out there.”
Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said he’ll limit Moore’s playing time if he does dress.
“We don’t want to play him the full game,” Knapp said. “You can’t do that. You got to manage him because he’s been out so long. But you try to pick your situations where it’s more likely for him to be involved and give him a chance to win in critical situations, third downs, red zone, certain first and second downs also.”
Extra points: Starting MLB Rolando McClain (ankle) and reserve RB Taiwan Jones (ribs) returned to practice after missing a day. “I’m hopeful that both of those guys will be able to play,” Allen said. “They moved around pretty decently today, so I’m real hopeful.”
Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter: @CBSRaiders.
