Rhodes Returns To Raiders

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Dominic Rhodes spent the past four weeks running on a side field while the rest of his Oakland Raiders teammates practiced.

On Sundays, the Rhodeses would try to watch on television as his fellow running backs piled up big yardage behind an improved offensive line.

With his four-week suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy over, the former Colts player returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since the end of the preseason. Rhodes will have to wait even longer to get into a game because the Raiders (2-2) have a bye on Sunday.

For now, he’s just happy to be back and wants to make sure he doesn’t repeat the mistakes that led to his ban.

“I like being out there with the team,” he said. “I like making plays, and stuff like that, and I saw the plays being made and plays I know I could make. It’s just been a frustrating process leading up to now, and I’m here, and it’s an off week, so I’ve got to wait even longer. I never want to have to go through this again so I’m going to be on my best behavior.”

Rhodes was suspended after pleading guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken driving charges against him.

The Raiders knew a suspension was likely when they signed him to a two-year contract in the offseason that could be worth up to $7.5 million, but wanted him anyway.

Rhodes played the entire preseason before serving his suspension. He was able to work out at the Raiders’ practice facility, watch game film and study game plans during the suspension, but every time the team practiced, Rhodes could only run to stay in shape.