Josh McDaniels says Chandler Jones won't play in Raiders opener against Broncos

Chandler Jones still isn’t back with the Raiders after making controversial posts on social media. And Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels said Friday he won’t play against the Broncos.

Jones, who is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL throughout his career, did not participate in any Raiders practices this week. McDaniels explained Jones’ absences as “personal.” In the daily injury report, the Raiders designate Jones’ situation as “not injury-related/personal.”

Jones has filled his social media accounts with accusations against his team. However, he usually deleted the comments. On Friday, he posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“Woke up feeling amazing this morning! Thank you God!”

Woke up feeling amazing this morning! Thank you God! 🙏🏿

— ♛Chandler Jones (@chanjones55) September 8, 2023

Josh McDaniels hasn’t dropped any details on what’s going on with Chandler Jones

McDaniels, again, offered no details about Chandler Jones during Friday’s media availability. Rather, he talked around what happened.

“I mean, we deal with it all year in terms of having to make decisions whether they’re injury-related or what’s best for the team in terms of practice squad elevations or just deciding on the active from the 53[-man roster],” McDaniels said. “So, nothing different in that regard. We’ll just try to figure out what the best thing is in terms of how to play the game in general.”

The Raiders will have to make a definitive roster move by Saturday. The team needs to add running back Josh Jacobs, who ended his holdout, but still had a roster exemption/commissioner permission list designation. Jacobs led the NFL in rushing in 2022.

With Chandler Jones absent from the team, perhaps permanently, look for rookie Tyree Wilson or Malcolm Koonce to split time at edge rusher opposite Maxx Crosby. Plus, McDaniels said he could promote one of three defensive ends from the practice squad.

Jones said team sent a Crisis Management rep to his home

ESPN reported that Ethan Lock, Chandler Jones’ agent, had yet to comment about his client’s situation.

The problems with Chandler Jones had been building throughout the week. Jones shared on social media that the Raiders sent a member of the Las Vegas Crisis Response Team to his home sometime Wednesday night. He posted a photo of the woman’s badge and added “Raiders sent her to my place said .. You need to come with us ‘You’re in danger.”

He also added: “NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY PLAYERS TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA. AT FIRST I FROWNED UPON IT. BUT IT’S OUR ONLY OUTLET. IF I DIDN’T DO THIS, IT WOULD’VE BEEN KEPT UNDER WRAPS.”

In earlier posts, he also accused the Raiders and McDaniels of locking him out of the team complex. And he also wrote “I’m a be nice Josh. I wanted to play Sunday. If you left (let) me play I won’t share anything else.”

He deleted these comments.

The Patriots selected Chandler Jones, 33, in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He turned out to be one of the best pass rushers of the past decade. New England traded Jones to the Cardinals two months after the defensive end had an incident at the local police department in January, 2016. Jones showed up unannounced and disoriented at 7:40 a.m. days before a Patriots playoff game. Police took him to a local hospital where doctors said he had a bad reaction to synthetic marijuana, which is legal in Massachusetts.

In 2017, Chandler Jones led the NFL in sacks. He’s registered double-digit sack totals in seven of his 11 seasons. His career high was 19 in 2019. Jones has made the Pro Bowl four times.