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(Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Las Vegas Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller underwent additional testing on the ankle he hurt during the team’s Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears, and the results suggest the injury is more serious than first thought.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, an MRI confirmed Miller has a high-ankle sprain, while a CT scan revealed a hairline fracture. Miller is expected to be placed on injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least the next four games.
This injury update isn’t ideal for a 1-3 Las Vegas team. However, former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts on what’s next for the Silver and Black now that their top offensive lineman is out.
“Next man up,” Morrison said (h/t Locked On Raiders). “You don’t cry about it—next man up. That’s just the way this league is. Oh, next guy. Hey, I love Kolton. I want Kolton to be out there. But in this league, you can’t cry about it.”
Can a Raiders Player Make the Most of This Opportunity?
While it’s not ideal for Las Vegas to lose Miller, his absence does open the door for a player to potentially take this opportunity and run with it. Morrison notes that DJ Glaze is a prime example of how someone on the Raiders roster can become a key player, all because he took advantage of an opportunity.
If it’s Charles Grant, Caleb Rogers, Stone Forsythe, it don’t matter,” Morrison added. “If you own the roster, it is every man up to replace our guy for a couple of weeks or however long he’s going to be out. That’s the mentality that you have to have. And I say that because last year Thayer Munford goes down and we’re like, “Oh, Thayer Munford goes down. Oh, here comes DJ Glaze.” It gave him an opportunity. So now, guess what? Someone’s opportunity is going to happen now because of Kolton Miller.
“You never know what a starter may be holding another guy back, but this is how the National Football League works. Somebody’s going to get an opportunity to get some quality reps. And I’m excited for who that guy is because we’re going to look at it. We’re going to see the bullseye is going to be on them. But I’ve seen a lot of guys rise up to the top, especially in these situations.”
“I’m just trying to tell people, man, I know a guy goes down, but the next man up, man. Ian Thomas had some great blocks yesterday. So, I never look at a guy going down an injury as is it’s something for you to say, ‘Oh, we’re down a guy that you got to be positive.’ And the positivity I say is it gives another guy an opportunity to go steal some reps to show what they can do.”
Who Will Step Up Next for the Raiders?
Miller is likely headed to injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the next four games. During the matchup against the Bears, Forsythe filled in for the lone offensive snap Miller missed. The Raiders also have third-round pick Charles Grant on the roster, though he remained inactive in Week 4.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo