Jackson Powers-Johnson was one of the biggest storylines of Raiders’ training camp, and after being bumped over from center to guard in the first week of camp, the second-year lineman still seems to be on thin ice with the new coaching staff in Las Vegas.
After picking up a personal foul and giving up an easy sack in the first half on Sunday, JPJ played a little better in the second half, but the leash on his job probably didn’t get any longer.
Powers-Johnson was the Raiders’ lowest-graded offensive player on Sunday (Pro Football Focus), and according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, Alex Cappa is going to be back in the mix at right guard if JPJ doesn’t clean up the mental mistakes.
“Jackson Powers-Johnson had a stupid penalty. He’s not stupid, but it was a stupid lose your temper, get mad like he did last year [penalty] and that’s the stuff that certainly contributed to him competing for his job. If that continues, you will see Alex Cappa take his spot. I know that for a fact,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“They love JPJ, they love the toughness, but they don’t need the stupid penalties that punish the team.”
Last month, former Raiders’ offensive lineman Richie Incognito talked about where Powers-Johnson needs to improve, and he talked a lot about the second-year lineman’s technique.
“Jackson is a really talented kid. He’s athletic, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical. And the one thing I’d like to see him get is that technique,” Incognito said.
“Going out there and running around and causing havoc is great. But you know, on third and long in the fourth quarter, when you got to have it, you got to have good technique. So I think right now with the competition, you know, they know what they have with Jordan at center. And it’s all about Jackson proving that he can play with good technique, snap after snap after snap after snap.”
For what it’s worth, not everyone was as down on JPJ’s performance on Sunday.
At the 6:20 mark (below), at least one film review suggested Powers-Johnson played well in week 1 outside of two bad reps in pass protection and the 15-yard penalty…
x: @raidersbeat
Kappa sucks. Of course, like usual, we botched the 1st round pick.
https://www.ganggreennation.com/new-york-jets-news/86633/armand-membous-jets-career-is-off-to-a-great-start
Give the kid a chance to prove himself.
Boy HUSH. It was the line. Look at what the Lions RBs did…. THE SAME THING
I’m told he can’t make calls or adjustments at the line of scrimmage. That’s why he moved to og from center. If he can’t straiten up he will get beched. Maybe it’s a maturity thing idk.
Running game was non existent. Didn’t watch the game, but 2 yard average for Jeanty won’t cut it.
If you didn’t see the game then don’t comment please. You know we WON right? So why complain? The Oline didn’t run block well. Detroit RBs had the same issue
Don’t have to watch the game to comment, ok. The 2.1 yards per carry says it all. We did win, and that was great, but we won’t win many if the running game doesn’t start contributing.