The Raiders released their first unofficial depth chart of the season on Monday, and an interesting detail to the depth chart was the position attached to second-year guard Caleb Rogers.
Based on reports from OTAs and training camp, Rogers has been splitting time with Jackson Powers-Johnson at right guard, and Powers-Johnson was rumored to be slipping a little in the eyes of the new coaching staff.
But according to the first depth chart of the season (which is really only ‘unofficial’ on a technicality), Rogers is the no. 2 left guard behind Spencer Burford.
We’re told not to put a lot of stock in an unofficial depth chart, but what motivation would the coaching staff have to list Rogers at a position he’s less likely to play during the season?
And if there is a message being sent, which player is the message being directed at?
If there is a winner in the situation (and obviously Rogers can be shifted back anytime), it would seem to be Powers-Johnson, who showed up early to training camp and has been trying to change the narrative around his short career.
Raider Nation Radio host Q Myers talked about Raiders’ O-line depth chart on Monday (via the Locked on Raiders podcast) and said the Rogers shift was something that stuck out to him…
“A couple of the players at a couple of the positions did stand out to me and catch me off guard a little bit like this one. Caleb Rogers, second on the depth chart at left guard behind Spencer Burford. We’ve seen him in practice switching in and out with JPJ.
Now currently he’s actually injured. He didn’t practice on Monday. He left the practice on Saturday. Looked like he got kind of rolled up on, had a slight knee injury. He didn’t go back to the locker room and like leave practice, but he went to the sideline and he sat there and watched the rest of the practice on Saturday. And like I said, did not participate on Monday. So I’d actually be surprised to see him play on Thursday. I’m assuming that they want to make sure that that knee is healthy.
But Caleb Rogers, who’s been going back and forth with JPJ at the right guard spot is listed on the depth chart, the unofficial depth chart, as second at the left guard position behind Spencer Burford. That stuck out to me, just like rookie Trey Zuhn, a guy that I labeled as soon as the Raiders drafted him as a day one starter.
And looks like right now, at least on the unofficial depth chart, he’s competition for D.J. Glaze, which I would think is something that D.J. Glaze is going to have to really take notice of and take heed of, because Trey Zuhn is a guy that’s competing and a guy that, like I said, is a multiple versatile guy where he could play multiple spots on the on the offensive line. If he gets comfortable at that right tackle spot, D.J. Glaze could have his work cut out for him.
That’s something to pay attention to, something I’m really focused in on coming up on Thursday in preseason game number one. Will Trey Zuhn be that right tackle? Will he come in as the right tackle with the second team, or will he play somewhere else along that offensive line? That’s something to pay attention to.”
Are the Raiders that high on Spencer Burford?
Since he was signed in March, it seems like there has been an assumption that Burford would plug in to the starting lineup right away.
Burford has a history with new head coach Klint Kubiak and is considered a good fit for Kubiak’s offense. That’s great news considering how awful the Raiders’ offensive line played a year ago.
But if Burford is that much of a reliable player, how did the Raiders get him for just $3.25 million?
Based on his market value, Burford doesn’t quite fit the mold of the narrative that has followed him since March.
Maybe Burford was the steal of free agency, but unless the Raiders’ coaching staff is playing games with the depth chart, it sounds like the fifth-year guard might be moving towards a position battle with one of the more talented offensive line prospects on the team in Rogers.
UPDATE: the coaching staff is apparently playing games…
Only a matter of time before Trey Zuhn is a starter?
Based on everything that has been reported, the Raiders’ front office and coaching staff are high on Zuhn – so much that they seemingly tried to move up in the third round to draft him.
Zuhn can play multiple O-line positions, and the Raiders have multiple O-line positions still up for grabs – one of which might be right tackle.
D.J. Glaze is hoping to bounce back after a difficult 2025 season, but it wouldn’t be a big surprise if Zuhn eventually overtakes him on the depth chart.
Just something to watch now that Zuhn has been listed as Glaze’s backup.
“Whispers” around the team that Zuhn cold start
“Zuhn, there’s a lot of people whispering, whispering in hushed tones, that Trey Zuhn could start,” Raider Nation Radio host ‘JT the Brick’ said on his Raider Nation Radio show last week.
“Someone told me that today, but not confident enough to get on the radio with it. They said, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he started this year.” I said, ‘Oh boy, that’d be interesting. He’s that good, huh? He’s that good?’ ‘Yeah.’ So we’ll see.”
Raiders hit a “Home Run” with Zuhn in Round 3
A few months ago, CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner said the Zuhn pick was one of his favorite picks of the draft.
“With the 91st pick, the Las Vegas Raiders select Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn. This is an A plus pick. When you get a guy who’s in my top 50 at 91 overall, I’m obviously going to love it,” Renner said this week on Pushing the Pile.
“I love it for a number of reasons. One is that Zuhn is super versatile. He’s played left tackle for the majority of his career, but he’s also played center this past year at Texas A&M. I think he could play guard as well. The second reason, he’s super athletic. I mean, the guy on the move is great. He uses his hands really well. His lateral agility is exactly what he’ll need in Klint Kubiak’s offense. In that running scheme, I think he’s a plug and play starter with how much football he’s played. And if you’re getting a plug and play starter on the offensive line at pick 91, you’re hitting a home run.”
x: @raidersbeat