Oakland Raiders

Foot injury sidelines promising Raiders receiver Schilens

pgutierrez@sacbee.com

Published Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009

NAPA – It had been one of the more uplifting, inspirational scenes of training camp thus far – second-year wide receiver Chaz Schilens emerging from the locker room after practically every practice with that massive binder containing a Raiders playbook under his arm. Especially when relatively few of his teammates have acted out the same scene.

It was one of the more depressing, dagger-to-the-heart scenes of training camp thus far – Schilens limping out of the locker room on crutches, thanks to a broken left foot. Especially since Schilens had emerged as the best pass catcher in camp.

In a freak accident, suffered on a non-contact play, Schilens said he fractured the fifth metatarsal while planting the foot in the grass to make a cut on a route during the morning joint practice with the 49ers.

"It's just a sharp pain," Schilens told reporters. "I couldn't run anymore, so I knew something was wrong.

"It's pretty frustrating, but … we have good receivers, good young receivers," Schilens added. "I'll support those guys and help them any way I can and try to hurry up and get back out here as fast as I can. I can't focus on the negative. Got to just look for the healing process right now and move forward."

The Raiders did not divulge a time frame for Schilens' return, but it could be at least a month. He had been expected to compete for the No. 2 wide receiver slot after a solid finish to his rookie season.

Schilens, 23, played in all 16 games last season, making six starts, and caught 15 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. His 15.1 yards-per-reception average ranked fourth among league rookies.

In the Raiders' 31-10 exhibition victory over Dallas on Thursday, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Schilens was quarterback JaMarcus Russell's favorite target, and he caught five balls for 52 yards.

While Schilens had been a bright spot in camp, depth at wideout is also a Raiders strength. First-round draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey continues to dazzle one series and drop balls the next, while veteran Javon Walker, recovering from offseason knee surgery, plans to suit up Monday.

"Regardless of how bad I want to be out there, the injury's still saying, 'Slow down,' " Walker said. "My time schedule's still the same, so I'm just going to get out there and take the reps that … some of the other guys can't get and … try to move on from there."

Johnnie Lee Higgins is known more as a punt returner than pass catcher despite leading Raiders wide receivers last season with 22 receptions.

He said it's time for his fellow wideouts to step it up in Schilens' absence.

"Fallen soldiers … we've just got to keep on going," Higgins said. "He'll be back, sooner or later.

"I encourage everybody to do better – it's their time to get in the limelight. So if they don't want to get in the limelight … I'll get in it. I ain't scared to get in the limelight. Y'all don't want me in y'all limelight, though. Or y'all ain't getting it back."

With his blend of size, speed and soft hands, Schilens was on his way to sharing Higgins' limelight.

Now? The seventh-round pick out of San Diego State was asked if he could see himself playing on opening night against San Diego.

"If God works a miracle," Schilens sighed. "We'll see."

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