The Las Vegas Raiders had quite the controversy on the interior offensive line this offseason, as new head coach Pete Carroll thought a reshuffling was in order. Dylan Parham, Jordan Meredith and Jackson Powers-Johnson are the three starters again, but none are playing in the same spot.
Raider Nation questioned why Powers-Johnson, in particular, was having to battle for the right guard spot when he seemed like the obvious heir to the throne at center. His poor performance in Week 1 against the New England Patriots only furthered the sentiment that he was playing out of position.
But then, Powers-Johnson suffered a concussion during practice leading up to the team's game against the Los Angeles Chargers last week. Alex Cappa played poorly in his place, so fans were clamoring to have Powers-Johnson back in any capacity that they could.
Raiders' Jackson Powers-Johnson on track to play in Week 3
On Tuesday morning, following the loss, Carroll addressed the local media in Las Vegas. When asked if he had any updates on Powers-Johnson and his return from injury, Carroll provided some optimism.
"I haven't been given the word yet, but you know, he's had plenty of time now, so he should be able to be alright," Carroll said.
Then, on Wednesday afternoon, the Silver & Black Sports Network's Jesse Merrick reported that Powers-Johnson was indeed at practice leading up to the Raiders' Week 3 game against the Washington Commanders.
Powers-Johnson was notably in a red "non-contact" jersey, but progress is progress. The team's official injury report came out just a few hours later, and he was listed as "limited" during Wednesday's practice, which is a positive sign.
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After Wednesday's practice, Carroll spoke to the media once again. This time, he had a more concrete answer about Powers-Johnson's recovery process and when fans might know more.
"He just had his evaluation done now. So, we'll know by practice time, I think," Carroll said.
If Powers-Johnson passed his concussion test on Wednesday afternoon, then he could easily take the next few days to ramp up for Sunday morning's game against the Commanders. If not, it may be another week of Alex Cappa for the Raiders.
Even though he did not play his best in the season opener, Powers-Johnson is a staple on the offensive line and a big part of the team's future. Week 1 was a one-off for him, so hopefully he makes a quick and full recovery from his concussion and can be out there for the Raiders in Week 3.