The struggles of the offensive line have been an ongoing storyline for the Las Vegas Raiders dating back to OTAs. How the interior starters are configured has been a particular focus, and amid plenty of obstacles through the first three games, it felt like something had to change.
Despite a high level of success playing center in college and solid play at the position as a rookie last season, the current coaching staff clearly does not see Jackson Powers-Johnson as an option to play the position. So, he became the starter at right guard, and a welcome upgrade over Alex Cappa.
Powers-Johnson missed Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a concussion, however, and despite passing protocol, he did not play an offensive snap in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders because he had not been subjected to contact during a short week of practice.
Jackson Powers-Johnson has put the Raiders' RG competition to bed
Based on how Cappa performed against the Chargers, Powers-Johnson should have gotten his starting job back against the Commanders. But head coach Pete Carroll's desire for continuity won out, much to the dismay of the fan base.
Ahead of Week 4's game against the Chicago Bears, Carroll declared that Powers-Johnson is not an option to play center, and the competition with Cappa at right guard will go on. Carroll and the team's offensive line coach -- his son Brennan -- seem to feel some kind of way about Powers-Johnson.
He has been left to have to prove himself more than any other Raiders offensive lineman has to, despite practically the entire unit struggling. The idea of pushing players to deliver their best is fine, but to the point of playing an inferior player, it loses sensibility.
Carroll's comments during the week hinted at the possibility that Powers-Johnson and Cappa would both see time at right guard against the Bears if the competition for the starting job was going to extend to the game.
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Instead, Powers-Johnson played all 52 of the Raiders' offensive snaps in the contest, while Cappa played just five special teams snaps. The second-year man also registered the highest Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade on the team at 85.4, and the second-highest run blocking grade at 70.1.
In pass blocking, he registered what soccer fans would call a "clean sheet" with no pressures, hurries, sacks or hits allowed. This block on a screen to tight end Brock Bowers felt like a particular message to the coaching staff that they could not ignore:
Watch JPJ pic.twitter.com/M9fYrBwjF5
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) September 28, 2025
It's safe to assume that Cappa cannot move like that to get in front of a screen, let alone reach and deliver the block that Powers-Johnson did to clear a path for Bowers. Yes, it was on a smaller defender, but it had to get done to spring Bowers for a nice gain.
Carroll's desire to foster a culture of competition is more than welcomed by Raider Nation, but it has never come in deference of an inferior player getting an opportunity to start at the expense of the better player.
If there was a message being sent to Powers-Johnson, he clearly received it and earned the start over Cappa. A competition for the starting right guard job should not be a thing as long as Powers-Johnson is healthy. After what he did against the Bears, the competition Carroll tried to maintain is over.