Jon Gruden says he had a good talk with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis about returning to the organization for a second stint as coach and believes there is a ”good chance” it will happen.

Gruden gave an interview to ESPN Radio on Wednesday to discuss his pursuit of the Raiders job that opened when Jack Del Rio was fired after a disappointing six-win season.

”It’s been a long couple of weeks Tyler Bozak Jersey ,” Gruden said. ”I know they’ve gone through their process of interviewing candidates and until they’re done I won’t know. I did have a good meeting with Mark. I’ve known him a long time and got a lot of respect for the Raiders football organization.”

Gruden has been out of coaching the past nine years while serving as ESPN’s analyst for ”Monday Night Football.” He is scheduled to work the network’s playoff game Saturday in Kansas City between the Chiefs and Tennessee Titans and could come back to the Raiders as soon as next week.

”I think there’s a good chance,” he said. ”I’m excited about where I’m at in terms of studying the game and preparing to come back and coach. I just don’t want to sit here and speculate.”

Gruden apparently is already trying to put together a staff. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he expected defensive coordinator Paul Guenther to interview with Oakland ”at some point.”

Gruden spent four seasons as coach in Oakland from 1998-2001. After leading the Raiders to 8-8 records his first two years, Gruden helped the team reach the AFC title game following the 2000 season and got Oakland back into the playoffs the following season.

His tenure ended shortly after the ”Tuck Rule” loss to the New England Patriots when he was traded the following month to Tampa Bay for two first-round draft picks, two second-rounders and $8 million.

Gruden beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl in his first season with the Buccaneers but didn’t win another playoff game for Tampa Bay in his final six seasons. He has a 95-81 career record.

The Raiders will be required to comply with the ”Rooney Rule” and interview at least one minority candidate or otherwise face discipline from the NFL. The team has not commented on the search and might have already conducted that interview.

Gruden dismissed speculation raised in a report by ESPN over the weekend that he would get an ownership stake as part of his contract.

This would not mark the first time the Raiders brought back a coach for a second stint. Late owner Al Davis hired Art Shell in 2006, 11 years after firing him the first time. Shell went 2-14 that season and was fired after one year.

Other teams have also done it, with one of the most recent notable ones being Joe Gibbs in Washington. Gibbs stepped away following the 1992 season with three Super Bowl titles in his career. He came back in 2004 and had a 30-34 record in four seasons, leading Washington to two playoff berths.

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AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report

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Clayton Kershaw is set to make a surprise return from the disabled list Saturday night, starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a marquee matchup against New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.

Kershaw has been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP originally was scheduled to make a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but heavy rain in the forecast caused the Dodgers to change plans.

”It’s probably the best thing for him and for us William Nylander Jersey ,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday. ”We don’t know how much he’s going to pitch. I don’t want to put a limit on him. Obviously, there is a limitation with Clayton, and I’ll make that decision.”

Roberts said rookie Caleb Ferguson (0-1, 7.59 ERA) will be ready in reserve. The 21-year-old left-hander had been slated to make his fourth major league start Saturday.

There’s rain in the New York forecast as well, but Roberts said the Dodgers took all that into account.

”From what I understand it’s going to be early and if there’s a delay, we have ample time to get him ready. But obviously, we’re not going to do anything to put him in harm’s way,” Roberts said. ”If there is something where we are shut down, having Caleb behind him Zach Hyman Jersey , we have that coverage. So we can kind of combat that.”

Before the switch, Roberts had said Kershaw would throw no more than four innings and 60 pitches for Oklahoma City.

The 30-year-old Kershaw is 1-4 with a 2.76 ERA in eight starts this year for the defending NL champions, who have been riddled by injuries.

He was out for nearly a month with left biceps tendinitis before returning May 31 against Philadelphia. He pitched five effective innings in a no-decision against the Phillies, and then went back on the disabled list the next day with the back injury.

The ace left-hander threw a three-inning simulated Monday at Wrigley Field in Chicago and said he felt really good. The next day, Roberts said Kershaw returning against the Mets this weekend was considered, but the team opted for a minor league start to give him ”the best chance for success and health.”

Kershaw, a seven-time All-Star, missed about five weeks last season with a similar back problem.

Roberts acknowledged that Kershaw lobbied to pitch at Citi Field this weekend, rather than in the minors.

”He did play a little weather man Alex Burmistrov Jersey , so with weather.com and Clayton, we were pretty abreast with the weather in Omaha,” Roberts said with a chuckle.

”Just the way he’s responded to all the tests and to get him with us, the weather over there in Omaha, we feel comfortable and confident,” the manager added.

Rich Hill will start Sunday for the Dodgers, followed by Kenta Maeda at home Monday against the Cubs.

In other injury-related news, shortstop Chris Taylor was out of the lineup because of a tight left hamstring. Enrique Hernandez started in place of Taylor, who exited Wednesday’s game in Chicago against the Cubs. He was available off the bench – probably just to hit Bo Horvat Jersey , Roberts said.

”We’ll give him today and we’ll see about tomorrow,” he added.

Backup infielder Chase Utley was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list after missing 19 games with a sprained left thumb. A longtime New York nemesis and villain to Mets fans, Utley was on the bench for the series opener. He was batting .216 with a home run and 14 RBIs this season.

Utley has excelled as a pinch hitter, going 7 for 17 (.412) with five RBIs and two extra-base hits.

Los Angeles opened a roster spot for him by optioning catcher-infielder Kyle Farmer to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Rookie right-hander Walker Buehler is scheduled to throw 20 to 30 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, the next step in his comeback from a right rib microfracture. He could return to the rotation without a minor league rehab assignment, Roberts said.

Rated one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, Buehler is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in nine big league starts.

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