Raiders' Amari Cooper: Clears protocol, still dealing with ankle issue

Cooper cleared the NFL's concussion protocol Wednesday, but was held out of the Raiders' practice due to a left ankle sprain, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

As expected, Cooper's ankle represents the real threat to his availability for Sunday's game against the Chiefs. While it's encouraging that he now only has to worry about one injury , his failure to practice suggests there's a real chance he ends up sitting out a second straight week. The importance of Sunday's game for the Raiders' playoff hopes does increase Cooper's odds of playing, as the team presumably would be more inclined to let him take the field at less than 100 percent.