NAPA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley returned to practice Monday, his first full workout since suffering a hip strain during the team's first training camp practice on July 27.
Conley, the Raiders' first-round draft pick in 2017, took part in pregame drills before Oakland's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions on Friday.
Gareon Conley, who strained his hip in Oakland's first training camp practice on July 27 and had not practiced since, dressed and worked out before the Raiders' exhibition opener against the Lions on Friday. "Gareon's got a... https://t.co/vqbLmvbhGV pic.twitter.com/E8iHsp6ixU
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) August 11, 2018
"Yeah, it's great to see Gareon out there," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said after practice. "He healed quicker than anybody expected. It's a credit to him and our training staff. We need him to get some work."
Conley and Daryl Worley initially split reps at right cornerback with the first-team defense. But Worley was banged up in a collision with left cornerback Rashaan Melvin and left practice early with a trainer.
It was Conley's first fully padded practice since last season.
"I was surprised he had the full pads on, honestly," Gruden said. "We limited him. We'll give him more and more each day as he gains some confidence being back on the field with pads on."
Conley, who was not made available to the media on Monday, missed all but two games last season with a shin injury that required surgery and he suffered a minor groin strain that cost him the last day of mandatory minicamp in June. Worley has started in Conley's place.