The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in the gutter of the league yet again during the 2025 NFL season. With the playoffs practically out of reach already, it could not be clearer that this team would be better off calling the season a wash and choosing to build for the future instead.
While it may be a painful process, the easiest way to do this is by trading away valuable players. Rumors have been swirling around Jakobi Meyers for some time now, and just recently, it was reported that the Dallas Cowboys are calling about Maxx Crosby.
Losing Crosby would be gutwrenching for both the team and Raider Nation, more than it would be for any other player. But there is another fan favorite that could easily be moved ahead of the November 4 deadline, and nobody is talking about him.
Raiders fans shouldn't count out Jackson Powers-Johnson as a trade candidate
Second-year interior offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson has had a hard time finding his footing with the new regime in Las Vegas. After a stellar rookie campaign in 2024, he's taken a significant step back this season.
Of course, Powers-Johnson thrived at center and left guard last year, and the Raiders have him at right guard in 2025, which is a major component of his dip in production. Head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly are also clearly not fond of him, which might be taking a toll as well.
In Week 7, with Las Vegas getting the brakes beaten off of them by the Kansas City Chiefs, Carroll decided to bench Powers-Johnson in favor of veteran guard Alex Cappa. Cappa never had any business competing with him in the first place this offseason, and Powers-Johnson definitely shouldn't have been the first player benched in that atrocity of a game.
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Powers-Johnson is incredibly talented and one of the most powerful young offensive linemen in the NFL, but Carroll and his staff clearly don't see it. It's either that, or they don't quite recognize how to utilize his unique blend of strength and ability to move.
No Raiders fan wants Powers-Johnson to be traded, but new regimes come in and make similar decisions all the time. A player of his caliber on a rookie contract would be incredibly enticing for other teams, so Las Vegas could potentially net a Day 2 pick for his talents.
This shouldn't be enough for the Raiders to ship him out of town, but fans can never say never with the new regime. Hopefully, Powers-Johnson can continue plugging away and earn his rightful respect from the new leadership. If not, he may be a sleeper trade candidate as the deadline approaches.