NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Raiders first-round draft pick D.J. Hayden will not play in Friday’s preseason opener against Dallas.
Hayden suffered a slight hamstring pull in training camp on Monday but Oakland coach Dennis Allen said the decision to hold the rookie cornerback out was related to Hayden’s recovery from offseason abdominal surgery.
The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, Hayden has practiced every day but has been wearing a red jersey normally reserved for quarterbacks and kickers because he has not been cleared for contact yet.
Hayden underwent surgery in late May to remove scar tissue from his abdominal region. That operation came months after a near-fatal practice injury that ended his college career at Houston early.
