Oakland Raiders Branch Out Indefinitely

Oakland Raiders strong safety Tyvon Branch will likely be out indefinitely with a significant ankle fracture. 

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that Branch has a fractured fibula, an injury the 26 year old sustained during the first quarter of Sunday's 19-9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Branch was injured while rushing Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne on a third-and-7 play. Branch had be to carried off the field and was ruled out for the rest of the game after being examined by medical staff. 
Raiders coach Dennis Allen described the injury as "significant" on Sunday, but would not comment further on the exact nature of the injury during a media conference on Monday. 
"He's probably going to miss some time," Allen commented. "How much time that is, I don't know."
Branch is the team's highest-paid player this season at $9.5 million and if the reports are true and if he does have a broken fibula, this is serious news for the Raiders. Branch is the longest tenured player on the Raiders' defense, having played the last five seasons for them. Last season he played in 14 games and recorded 94 tackles and an interception. 
The Raiders do have options however in who they can have replace Branch. Brandian Ross and Usama Young replaced Branch on Sunday, and Charles Woodson is the starting safety. With these options, Allen can move Woodson to strong safety and Young to free safety, or keep Woodson at free and Ross at strong. Also on the practice squad is Shelton Johnson.
"Listen, if Ty's out a while, then we've got guys that we feel like can step up and make plays, whether it's strong safety, free safety," Allen said. "To me, I look at those as interchangeable positions and they really need to be to have the flexibility to do some different things defensively. 
"I think I've got confidence in all three of those guys who are back there." 
References: ESPN and Golden Gate Sports.  
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