ALAMEDA, Calif. – Darren McFadden knows he has two games remaining on his contract and, potentially, in his career with the Oakland Raiders. Which is why his practicing Wednesday for the first time since injuring an ankle at the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day was so important to him.
He is hoping for one last showcase.
“I would love to,” he said. “That’s one of my things, finishing hard. I know once I’m out there playing hard, I know what I can do. So I don’t let the other things creep into my mind.”
And yes, McFadden, who has missed five of the Raiders’ past six games and 19 of 39, wants to return to Oakland next season.
“I would love to be a Raider next year but like I said, I can only focus on the things that I can control,” he said. “I have to let everybody else handle that.”
First things first because McFadden, who practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday with knee and ankle issues, has to actually get into Sunday’s game at the San Diego Chargers.
“Yeah, that’s the direction that we’re looking at right now,” Raiders coach Dennis Allen said. “So we’ll see how he practices this week.”
Then where would McFadden fit into the rotation at running back, along with Rashad Jennings and Marcel Reece?
“Rashad Jennings would be our starting running back,” Allen said, “and both those other guys would work in there.”
McFadden said he was fine with that plan. He just wants to play. Even in a lost season.
“I feel that way, but at the same time there’s nothing I can do about that,” he said. “That time is gone. I can only move forward and deal with the things I have in front of me.”
The following is the Raiders injury report for Wednesday:
Did not participate: LB Miles Burris (ankle), G Lucas Nix (illness), RB Jeremy Stewart (ankle/knee), DT Vance Walker (concussion), FS Charles Woodson (ribs)
Limited practice: RB Darren McFadden (knee/ankle)
Full practice: TE Jeron Mastrud (wrist)
