ALAMEDA – Out of a Las Vegas hospital, Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was due back at team headquarters Wednesday evening to be examined by team doctors. Walker was injured while being robbed Monday morning.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said he spoke with Walker on Wednesday morning. Kiffin said Walker "sounds really well" but offered no other details.
"All I can give you is I spoke to him, he's doing well, and he's on a plane. He'll be on a plane this evening, back here," Kiffin said. "He'll be here (Wednesday) evening and (this) morning, as well."
Kiffin also declined comment on the nature of Walker's injuries, which Las Vegas police deemed "significant."
Published reports had Walker suffering a mild concussion and a fractured orbital after the robbery. He was found unconscious at 7:19 a.m. at the intersection of Koval Lane and Winnick Avenue after partying into the early hours Monday.
Kiffin said he didn't think it was appropriate for him to comment further until Raiders doctors evaluate Walker. But the injuries apparently won't cost the wide receiver the 2008 season. Kiffin said he expects Walker back for training camp when players report to Napa on July 25.
"The information that I have at this point is he's going to be fine," Kiffin said. "Training camp won't even be an issue."
Walker, 29, is entering his seventh NFL season. He signed a six-year, $55 million contract ($16 million guaranteed) in March after two seasons with Denver and four with Green Bay. Walker reportedly lost $100,000 worth of jewelry and $3,000 in cash in the robbery.
Kiffin said the team tries to educate players but can't "baby-sit" them.
It's not Walker's first brush with offseason crime. Walker was with Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams when he was shot and killed Jan. 1, 2007, after leaving a nightclub.
"We talk to them all the time about certain places to be, where not to be, and you guys have heard it a million times: Not many good things happen after midnight," Kiffin said.
Walker is reported to have been out anywhere from 3:30 to 6:30 a.m. Monday.
"I think, just talking to some of our players today, relaying the message from Javon to them, I think it's a wake-up call to some of them," Kiffin said. "Just to remind them about how dangerous it is out there in certain places and how much they have to think before they put themselves in situations."
Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
