Oakland Raiders: Is Jihad Ward’s sophomore development on hold?

Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Jihad Ward shared a photo, which shows his left leg and foot wrapped in a cast. What does this mean for his development?

The Oakland Raiders selected defensive tackle Jihad Ward in the second round of the 2016 draft. And immediately, he drew comparisons to Mario Edwards, who entered the league as the team’s second-round pick in 2015.

Both defensive linemen finished their collegiate careers with modest statistical output, which raised eyebrows. However, the ability flashed on their game tapes suggested a high ceiling on the professional level.

Ward played through 16 contests including 13 starts during his rookie year. However, he didn’t show the same promise as Edwards right out of the gate.

The Illinois product struggled to establish his niche as a quality run defender or push the pocket on interior. The coaching staff benched him for the final three regular-season games and deactivated him for the team’s playoff game against the Houston Texans.

Needless to say, Ward needed to make a strong impression during the offseason to come close to the 636 snaps played during the previous campaign. Kevin Boilard of 247 Sports tweeted a photo from second-year pro’s Snapchat account, which shows him with a cast on his left leg and foot with additional posts showing its removal.

The Raiders don’t have to comment on injuries during the offseason. As a result, speculation follows on Ward’s recovery. Though it’s worth noting, he underwent surgery for a stress reaction in his left foot at Illinois before the 2015 season, per The News-Gazette writer Matt Daniels:

"“They said it wasn’t a broken bone or anything,” Ward said. “It was close to a stress fracture, (but the surgery) was going to help me get my foot stronger in the future so it won’t happen again.”"

As of now, no one can confirm his recent surgery relates to the previous stress fracture procedure two years ago. Nonetheless, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport’s sources pinpoint mid-August as a potential period for a return:

Ward Hurt During Practice

Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Michael Gehlken witnessed the 300-pound lineman come off the practice field in pain on June 6:

"Jihad Ward winced toward the end of practice and pulled out of a drill. A Raiders athletic trainer evaluated his left foot area. Ward was scheduled for additional testing after practice. The 2016 second-round pick was not seen on the field again for the remainder of the spring."

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The Raiders have depth across the defensive line. Denico Autry, Darius Latham, Treyvon Hester and Eddie Vanderdoes will absorb additional reps. It’s important for Ward to take every practice snap possible going into his second season after a disappointing rookie year.

Edwards will start the offseason program healthy, but the team released defensive tackle Dan Williams, which leaves an opening in the defensive line rotation.

Head coach Jack Del Rio hasn’t soured on the 2016 second-rounder and hoped to see a significant improvement in Ward’s game when talking about his 2017 outlook, per San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vic Tafur:

Next: Oakland Raiders: 5 Most underrated players heading into 2017

At least for now, the surgery puts the optimism on hold. The Raiders will come together in full on July 29 for training camp. With or without Ward on the field, the coaching staff must focus on improving at the point of attack on the interior. A lost opportunity for Ward could be a chance for another developing defensive lineman to shine this summer.