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Raiders Get Aaron Curry Back As They Prepare For Jacksonville

By Ryan Leong

The Raiders hope that a little Curry will spice up their defense.

Specifically, that would be linebacker Aaron Curry, who returned to practice for the first time since May.   Curry had been out of action due to injuries to both his knees.  The good news: he was not limited in practice like his some of his teammates.   Curry also practiced at all three linebacker spots.

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"He looked good," said head coach Dennis Allen after practice.  "He moved around well.  So I think the key is to see how he responds tomorrow and we'll continue to monitor him as we go throughout the week."

For now, head coach Dennis Allen isn't sure what he'll decide on the future of Curry.  For now, the Raiders have 21 days to decide whether to activate Curry to the 53-man roster, waive him, or place him on season-ending injured reserve.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,"  Allen said.  "That's not a decision that we have to make right now.  I think right now is to see where he's at physically.  How he responds to a couple of days of practice, how the knee responds to it and then we'll make that decision when we need to."

Curry played nine games for the Raiders after he was acquired from Seattle last year.  He was originally drafted 4th overall by the Seahawks in 2009.  He was traded to Oakland in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2012 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2013.

In his career, Curry has played in 46 games with 39 starts. He has 199 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Last week, linebacker Rolando McClain saw significant decreases in playing time.  Miles Burris is playing much faster at inside linebacker playing all 55 snaps while McClain had just 17 snaps, down from 74 the previous game before the bye week.   Burris played alongside Philip Wheeler as part of the Raiders nickel defense.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel suffered a concussion against Atlanta but was in full pads and was not limited in practice.  Brisiel was injured blocking a screen pass in the second quarter and did not return.  Coach Allen said he was cleared with no ill effects and should be fine to play this coming Sunday.

The challenge this week is to stop Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

"He does a lot of things really well,"  Allen said.  "He's got great balance he's tough, he's very quick and he's explosive into the hole.  He does a nice job in the passing game, catching the ball as well as protection.  He's a well rounded back and he's an extreme talent that will be a challenge for us."

Quarterback Carson Palmer is eager to continue the improvement shown by the team in Atlanta.

"We've got to play good football and we get a chance to play in front of our fans," Palmer said.  "It feels like it's been awhile with last week and the bye.  But it's a must win for us.  It's an AFC game and an opportunity to start climbing our way back into this race."

For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Raiders news, see 
CBS Sports Sacramento.

Ryan Leong has reported on over 2,800 games in the Bay Area since 1998, covering the Sharks, Giants, A's, Warriors, 49ers, Raiders and the local college teams for radio networks and wire services. Having the best seat in the house to watch sports has been a thrill and Ryan still enjoys going to the games giving fans some insight and perspective on the players and coaches. His work can be found on Examiner.com.

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