Raiders’ Mario Edwards Jr. To Return From IR

The Raiders have designated defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. as their player to return from injured reserve, tweets Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.com, who adds that Edwards is expected to practice tomorrow. Oakland now has three weeks to place Edwards on the active roster, or he will stay on IR for the remainder of the season. The Raider expect Edwards to return to action for their December 19 game against the Chargers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).Mario Edwards Jr.

[RELATED: Aldon Smith Pushing For Return]

Nearly a certain lock to make the playoffs following yesterday’s win over the Bills, the Raiders are still fighting to win the AFC West and face a massive contest against the Chiefs on Thursday night. But the one area of the Oakland roster that could use a boost is the club’s defense, and Edwards will certainly provide a spark if he’s able to get back on the field. By DVOA, the Raiders’ defense ranks just 26th, and the team’s defensive line places only 28th against both the run and pass.

When healthy, Edwards served as a bright spot for the Raiders last year, racking up 42 tackles, three forced fumbles and two sacks in 14 games. He worked at both end and tackle along the way and rated as one of Pro Football Focus’ best run-stoppers among edge defenders. Edwards figures to complement superstar Khalil Mack and first-year Raider Bruce Irvin in an attempt to improve Oakland’s front four during the stretch run.

Oakland’s decision to bring Edwards off injured reserve means that tight end Lee Smith and linebacker Ben Heeney — both of whom have could have potentially returned this year — will remain on IR from the rest of the season.

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