Raiders cornerback gets brutal season-ending injured reserve update

While the conversation around the Las Vegas Raiders is about who will start at quarterback between Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza, the team will be down a player after the 22-20 preseason win over the Houston Texans on Thursday. With the Raiders preparing for Week 1 of the 2026 season, the latest injury update on this cornerback will leave a sour taste in the mouths of fans.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN, Las Vegas has put cornerback Chigozie Anusiem on the injured reserve, which makes it season-ending for the 25-year-old.

“Raiders placed CB Chigozie Anusiem on season-ending injured reserve,” Schefter wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

How Raiders’ Chigozie Anusiem sustained the season-ending injury

Anusiem would go down in the aforementioned preseason win over the Texans after being dragged down awkwardly in the third quarter during a punt return, leading to the significant lower-leg injury. There was a stoppage as the training staff was checking on him, with both teams checking to see if the player was alright, as he would later be carted off.

“Raiders CB Chigozie Anusiem went down on the turf after suffering a very serious lower leg injury. The training staff attended to him for several minutes before he was carted off the field. During the treatment, both the Texans and the Raiders’ benches surrounded the former Colorado State player. A very concerning sight,” Essentially Sports wrote on X.

Raiders CB Chigozie Anusiem went down on the turf after suffering a very serious lower leg injury. The training staff attended to him for several minutes before he was carted off the field.

During the treatment, both the Texans and the Raiders' benches surrounded the former… pic.twitter.com/5waW4BX9uG

— EssentiallySports (@ES_sportsnews) August 21, 2026

Last season for the Raiders, Anusiem logged 54 special teams snaps in three games last season, as he was looking to carve out a bigger role with the team. At any rate, it remains to be seen how Anusiem recovers in his preparation to get ready for next season.

Looking short-term, Las Vegas is approaching the regular-season opener, which happens on Sept. 13 against the Miami Dolphins, as the team looks to improve after finishing with a 3-14 record.

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