One of the biggest storylines coming out of Week 1 was just how good the defensive line for the Raiders played against the Ravens. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli had his unit flying all over the field, making Lamar Jackson feel uncomfortable all night.
However, one player that was noticeably absent from the lineup (and all the fun) was Clelin Ferrell. Just 90 minutes before kickoff, the team made him a healthy scratch. That is the first time Ferrell has been a healthy scratch during his NFL career.
After the game, head coach Jon Gruden did say that Ferrell was dealing with a back issue, but it wasn’t bad enough to cause him to miss any practice time leading up to the game. He did mention that Ferrell will likely see in the field in Week 2 when the team takes on the Steelers.
“He’s been having some back ailments. His time’s coming. He’ll return to the lineup probably this week. Hopefully he’s feeling better and can get back to his form that he had earlier last year and his rookie season.”
With Yannick Ngakoue dealing with a hamstring issue, it appears he will be unlikely to play this week. That means Ferrell could slide back into the starting lineup or split snaps with Carl Nassib.
It will be fascinating to see how the former No. 4 pick responds to being benched. Will he rise to the occasion and be the bookend to Maxx Crosby? Or will he be just a depth and rotational piece for the defense for the rest of the season? Week 2 is going to be a big stage for Ferrell.