On Tuesday, defensive tackle Adam Butler seemed to make the suggestion to the coaching staff that Jackson Powers-Johnson should be moved over to the guard position and Jordan Meredith would be better suited at center.
Two days later, the coaching staff shifted Powers-Johnson and Meredith to the positions Butler mentioned, and on Friday, Powers-Johnson took reps at guard with the second string.
For those wondering what’s going on with all the moving around, at least one beat writer covering the Raiders is asking the same question.
“I don’t know, I’m almost more confused now than I was yesterday in terms of where they are,” the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Adam Hill said on Friday. “I almost feel like it’s even less certain, like almost more now feels like it’s a message to Jackson Powers-Johnson rather than anything else of, you’re not going to be handed the job. Wherever you are, you’re going to work for it.”
“It almost made me feel like [he] will be the starting center again. I don’t know. It’s an interesting dynamic every single day where they’re going to be. Certainly, if you were watching practice every day, if you’re watching every single snap, you would say that they’re leaning toward Jordan Meredith being the starting center. Now Jackson Powers Johnson is in a competition at guard, but I almost think that’s reading too much into it too, that it could change at any time. There’s still a long way to go here in training camp.”
From the day Raiders head coach Pete Carroll arrived in Las Vegas he has been talking about competition in all areas of the roster, and it would seem that no position group is locked up in a more complicated competition right now than the offensive line.
There is still more than month before the start of the regular season, but at some point sooner than later, the coaching staff is going to start feeling some urgency to get the offensive line sorted out so the group can start building chemistry in Chip Kelly’s new scheme.
In six days, the Raiders travel to Seattle for their first preseason game. It will be interesting to see what the offensive line looks like in their first live action of the season.
Just a guess… Powers-Johnson won’t be second-string anything unless the coaching staff decides to give him rest.
x: @raidersbeat
GOOD!!!! Whatever it takes to make this group formidable again. Giving up 50 sacks last year was totally unacceptable. The Philadelphia Eagles have currently set the standard of how an offensive line should perform. The Raiders need to get with the program. Whatever it takes to fix this group is the only thing that will protect the Raiders investments ie. Geno Smith and Ashton Gentry. Raider Nation won’t stand for another 4 win season and Pete Carroll shouldn’t either.
Raider Nation. Can we stop. Pete is trying everything to get tge most out of every player. (Scenario). JPJ. GETS HURT. WHIS REPLACING HIM. This is a new regime that knows how to bring a winning culture. Let Pete cook!. We’ll like the meal in September.
Raiders nation just be patient. Either things will work out or they won’t Either way something is going to happen .Just wait !!!!