The Las Vegas Raiders made an abundance of changes this offseason thanks to the influence of new head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek. The two made several key upgrades, but they also made a handful of decisions that puzzled the fan base.
Perhaps the most unexpected choice was pulling 2024 All-Rookie offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson from the starting center spot. Instead, he'll start at right guard after a preseason positional battle, and Jordan Meredith will get the nod at center.
This is a bizarre ruling because Powers-Johnson was the nation's best center as a senior in college at Oregon in 2023, and Meredith was among the highest-rated guards in the NFL last year. Raider Nation can't look away as Carroll makes this risky venture against the New England Patriots in Week 1.
Pete Carroll's offensive line gamble will be on full display against Patriots
New England boasts a solid defense overall, but they'll enter Sunday's game with a tattered secondary thanks to the recent release of Jabrill Peppers and Christian Gonzalez dealing with an injury. That will make their defensive line play of the utmost importance.
The Patriots have an incredibly strong tandem in the defensive tackle room, as they'll start Christian Barmore and Milton Williams against the Raiders to kick off the year. This will be a tough task for Meredith in his first start at center after who knows how long.
There is nothing quite like trial by fire or learning on the job, but Carroll is opening up the Raiders to a potentially disastrous scenario. These great Patriots defensive tackles, who have a solid rotation of players behind them, are a tough test for an offensive line unit that just got settled a week or so ago.
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Dylan Parham will be pivotal at left guard, and ideally, Powers-Johnson's experience playing guard last year will allow him to pick up where he left off in 2025. But Meredith needs to prove that he can figure things out at center, and quickly, if the Las Vegas offense wants to have success.
Raider Nation should trust Carroll to make these kinds of decisions, as he has given the fan base no reason not to since his arrival. But this one gamble is one that every fan will have their eyes on in Week 1 as Las Vegas faces a tough set of interior defensive linemen.
Hopefully, Meredith is up to the task against New England, and Chip Kelly's offense can both establish the run and give Geno Smith time to throw in the pocket. If he's not, it could raise some immediate concerns about the new regime's decision-making.