Oakland Raiders S Obi Melifonwu to see specialist

Oakland Raiders safety Obi Melifonwu remained absent from practice on Tuesday amid a report that he will see a specialist.

Melifonwu, a second-round pick of Oakland in the 2017 NFL Draft, has not practiced since Aug. 6 after he had what Raiders head coach Jon Gruden termed "a flare-up" of a lower-body injury.

The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Melifonwu will visit a specialist and there is concern that the injury is related to the hip surgery that ended his rookie season.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Melifonwu has been plagued by injuries during his brief NFL tenure. The former University of Connecticut standout began last season on injured reserve because of a knee injury that required surgery in August 2017.

After returning to play in five games, Melifonwu finished the season on injured reserve because of a hip injury that required surgery in December.

Melifonwu, who missed much of the on-field work during the offseason program while rehabbing the hip, started one of the five games he played in last season.