One player's injury is another's opportunity to prove himself in a starting role. That is, unfortunately, life in the NFL. Because of Jackson Powers-Johnson's latest ailment, the Las Vegas Raiders may have one clear-cut option at right guard who is waiting to seize this moment.
On Tuesday, Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak provided an update on Powers-Johnson, who left early from Monday's practice.
"He got banged up in practice yesterday. We wanted to be cautious today, and we've got to keep evaluating him moving forward. ... I would not expect JPJ to play Thursday night, no."Â
Enter Caleb Rogers.
Caleb Rogers can take advantage of Jackson Powers-Johnson's absence
Kubiak didn't go into detail about exactly what will keep Powers-Johnson out of action, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that it's "short term."
Regardless, Rogers will have a big opportunity to put himself in a position to start at right guard. With a strong performance against the Houston Texans, he can show the ability to handle arguably the league's best defensive front and earn the coaching staff's trust.
When asked if Powers-Johnson had solidified the starting job at right guard, Kubiak replied, "No," per The Athletic's Sam Warren. The Raiders beat reporter also added that Powers-Johnson and Rogers rotated with the first-team offense last Sunday. It is an ongoing competition, and now JPJ is MIA.
Recently, Kubiak praised both Powers-Johnson and Rogers for their performances over the summer, per Silver and Black Sports Network's Jesse Merrick.
"I've been really pleased with how both of those guys are playing. They're making each other better. They're making decisions hard on us, but it also means we're continuing to build solid depth. JPJ and Caleb, they're both playing winning football and they're both improving and we're going to continue to coach 'em to improve 'em."Â
Based on Kubiak's comments following the team's preseason opener, the competing guards are in a tight battle. So, Rogers doesn't have to make up significant ground to become the front-runner in this competition. In fact, he had a better outing than Powers-Johnson against the Arizona Cardinals last week.
According to Pro Football Focus, Rogers didn't allow a single pressure over 11 pass-blocking snaps, and Powers-Johnson gave up a sack over 13 pass-blocking snaps.
Powers-Johnson can ill afford to miss time, even if it's just a few practices and one exhibition game. On top of that, Kubiak mentioned the team will continue to monitor him. If his injury lingers, Rogers would be the default option.
Of course, the Raiders would rather see someone outright win the battle, which can happen Thursday.Â
Kubiak is a first-time head coach who may go against the league norm, but most teams give back-end roster guys the most playing time in the final preseason game before final roster cuts.Â
If this is the last week for first-stringers and primary backups to see significant time on the field, Rogers can make a lasting impression that Powers-Johnson may not be able to top on the practice field.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.Â
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