Raiders fined $20,000 for injury report violation

The Raiders are still taking losses, even on their bye week.

The league fined the Raiders $20,000 for a violation of the NFL’s injury report policy after they failed to downgrade left guard Kelechi Osemele from “questionable” to “out” when he didn’t travel to the team’s Week 5 away game against the Chargers, a source confirmed to the Bay Area News Group on Thursday morning.

Here is what the league’s policy states on the matter:

“Injuries or other events that occur after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the designated game status reporting day must be reported immediately if the injury or event could affect a player’s ability to play in that week’s game. It is the club Public Relations Director’s responsibility to report information of this type to the opposing team’s Public Relations Director and to the NFL Communications Department as soon as such developments occur. In addition, the updated game status information must be released to the club’s local media, The Associated Press, and the televising network.

“The reporting of late-night and early-morning incidents, defined as those occurring between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., local time, may be delayed until 8:00 a.m., local time. At that time, the player’s then-current condition must be reported and updated as required by the policy.”

Osemele was listed as “questionable” with a knee injury on the Raiders’ official game status report on Friday, Oct. 5. After Sunday’s 26-10 loss to the Chargers, head coach Jon Gruden said Osemele didn’t travel with the team. Players who are “questionable” typically work out with the head trainer several hours before the game to determine their status, but the Raiders had determined Osemele wouldn’t play before their flight. Thus, he should have been downgraded to “out” before the team took off Saturday afternoon.

Osemele hasn’t played in the Raiders’ last two games after suffering a right knee injury against the Browns in Week 4. The Raiders won’t have trouble forking over $20,000, but it’s an inconvenience nonetheless, especially given the Raiders’ present struggles at 1-5.