Raiders start Dont'e Thornton's return clock as Jalen Nailor sits with concussion

Wednesday handed the Raiders a receiver back and took one away. Dont'e Thornton Jr. practiced for the first time since training camp, and Jalen Nailor was the only Las Vegas player who did not participate at all, held out with a concussion on the Week 5 injury report.

Thornton has been on injured reserve since Aug. 31 with a hamstring injury that Levi Edwards of the team site described as previously undisclosed, one that cost him most of camp and all of the preseason. Designating him for return starts a 21-day clock. Activate him to the 53-man roster inside that window or he is finished for the year. Klint Kubiak said before practice that Thornton and Jackson Powers-Johnson would both be out there, as A to Z Sports' Justin Churchill reported. Powers-Johnson, who sat out the Chiefs game, was limited with a groin injury.

The receiver ledger is still thin. Jack Bech went on IR a week ago with a forearm injury and the Raiders signed Cody White to take the roster spot. White was limited Wednesday with an ankle. That leaves Tre Tucker as the only wideout who has been healthy and productive all month, with tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer carrying most of the passing game. Bowers was limited again on his knee.

The bigger line item has not moved. Bucky Brooks, writing on the team site, has the Raiders at 3.1 yards per carry and a 24.4 percent run-stuffed rate, both worst in the league, on 93 rushing yards a game. Kubiak took the blame for it himself earlier in the week. Ashton Jeanty practiced in full despite the ankle that trimmed his snaps in Kansas City, which is the best number on the page.

Opinion, labeled as such: Thornton's return is worth less than the headlines suggest. A receiver who has not played since last season and is four games behind on this offense does not fix anything by Sunday, and the thing that needs fixing is 3.1 yards a carry, not the number of bodies at receiver.

New England is 2-2 and home off a road win in Buffalo. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Watch whether Nailor clears protocol, whether Bowers stays limited into Friday, and whether Thornton gets activated or just collects practice reps.