Oakland fullback still on the mend

NAPA, Calif. — Almost a full year after his NFL career was feared to be over, Oakland fullback Oren O’Neal is making plans to play when the Raiders open the regular season.

The knee injury that landed him in a hospital last August is almost completely healed. The limp in his stride is gone. The only noticeable reminder is a thick brace the third-year pro wears on his left leg.

“The fact that I’m walking, that’s a blessing in itself,” O’Neal said. “The fact that I can run around and move with everybody else, that’s a blessing on top of a blessing.”

O’Neal tore both the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee on the opening kickoff during an Aug. 23 preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. One of the hamstring muscles attached to O’Neal’s knee also tore away and had to be surgically reattached.

Then-Oakland coach Lane Kiffin called the injury possibly career-threatening, casting a serious shadow over O’Neal’s budding NFL career.

That it was to be his only play on special teams that afternoon only served to further frustrate Oakland’s young fullback, who was coming off a solid rookie season when he got hurt.

“I was still trying to be optimistic about it,” O’Neal said. “I knew there was going to have to be surgery but I didn’t know it was going to be to the point this was. The doctor pulled up the MRI and he took a pen and said, ‘Do you see all this? It’s all shredded.’ I was holding back tears.”

What followed was surgery, nine weeks of immobility and a long road back to the football field.

While the rest of his teammates practiced in mini-camps and OTAs, O’Neal worked out with a trainer on the sidelines. Initially, it was simple slow running drills. Over time, he graduated to sprints and eventually worked himself into shape.

Since training camp began, the Raiders have taken a cautious approach with O’Neal. Although he is taking part in practice without limitation, he is only working out once a day.

“You see the team’s response when he goes in there and puts it on someone, and that’s good for everybody,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said. “It’s uplifting because he went through quite a bit, obviously. To come out and do those things, I think, is good for our team. I’m happy for him.”

Cable won’t say whether he expects O’Neal to be available when Oakland host San Diego on Sept. 14. The Raiders signed veteran fullback Lorenzo Neal in the offseason as insurance and the team still has Luke Lawton on its roster.

That has taken the pressure off O’Neal to rush back, though he remains optimistic he’ll be on the field when the regular season kicks off.

“I know for a fact I’ll be the player (I was),” O’Neal said. “I just have to go out there and show everybody that I’m still that player. Gotta work my way back into playing status and show ‘em that I can still do what I do.”

NOTES: QB Jeff Garcia remains sidelined with a calf strain … DE Derrick Burgess’ holdout continued into its seventh day. … T Khaliff Barnes underwent an MRI after injuring his left knee and ankle during a team scrimmage. Barnes and Mario Henderson are competing for the starting left tackle job.