The Las Vegas Raiders have had an ugly start to the 2025 NFL season and are expected to be sellers ahead of the November 4 trade deadline. While Jakobi Meyers is the player who is most likely to be moved, several other players could find themselves on a different roster this time next week.
One of those players, unfortunately, is Jackson Powers-Johnson, who has seemingly never had the support of the new coaching staff. The second-year offensive lineman was moved from center to guard during training camp and forced to compete with Alex Cappa for a starting role.
While he won the job, he's seemingly been benched multiple times, most recently in the Raiders' Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, indicating that he still has not won over the staff. While he has not had a great sophomore season by any stretch, he's still a valuable piece of the team's future.
Raiders should hesitate at moving Jackson Powers-Johnson for this price
Last week, we wrote about Powers-Johnson as a surprise trade candidate. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox corroborated this on Wednesday, listing the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams as potential landing spots, with Las Vegas getting a 4th-round pick and/or a veteran cornerback in return.
"The current Las Vegas Raiders regime just doesn't seem to like 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson," Knox wrote. "Despite being one of the nation's top centers in college and starting 14 games as a rookie, the 22-year-old was forced to earn his job during the offseason. After regaining a starting role at guard, though, he was benched during a Week 7 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While his early 2025 campaign hasn't made a positive impact on Powers-Johnson's trade value, his upside is tremendous. ... The Raiders were on bye in Week 8 and may believe they can turn things around over the second half of the season. They don't believe in Powers-Johnson, though, and should move him to a team that does."
Powers-Johnson's current trade value is likely at its lowest point since he got into the NFL. But he's made five starts this season and posted a 63.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade that ranks 31st out of 82 qualifying guards, meaning he is still in the upper half of players at his position.
While he has thrived in run blocking with a 72.0 grade that ranks 15th, he has struggled tremendously with pass blocking, as his 47.4 grade ranks just 69th. Powers-Johnson has given up two sacks, two quarterback hits and four hurries in just five games, which is a bit concerning.
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Although the coaching staff does not seem to value the second-year lineman, it is far too early in his career to give up on him, particularly for a Day 3 pick. The Raiders don't have many young players who have proven they can contribute in the NFL, and shouldn't be moving on from those who have.
While selling off pieces ahead of the trade deadline makes plenty of sense, Las Vegas should focus on moving veterans who may not be around when the team finally turns the corner. Powers-Johnson should be allowed to work through his often overblown struggles.
If the staff still isn't sold on his future with the team after the next 10 games, there is an argument that Powers-Johnson could be moved this offseason. But, again, the team would need more than a Day 3 pick or a veteran cornerback, the latter of which they can acquire without dealing their starting guard.
Powers-Johnson is still just 21 games into his career, and growing pains are expected for young players. Furthermore, Powers-Johnson has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and he was on the PFWA All-Rookie team last season, so there should be no rush to move him.
If he rebounds and the new regime still isn't a fan of his for some reason, then the package they could get after the season would presumably be better than anything they will be offered in the upcoming week anyway.