For reasons known only to Pete and Brennan Carroll, Jackson Powers-Johnson had to do more than anyone else to solidify his starting spot on the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive line last year. A season-ending injury in Week 10 prematurely ended the Carroll experience for the former second-round pick.
With a new coaching staff comes a welcome reset for a lot of Raiders, though, and Powers-Johnson is either at or near the top of the list of players who need one most after what has been a less than ideal first two NFL seasons, all things considered.
Not only does he have clarity about the position he will play after the free agent signing of center Tyler Linderbaum, likely right guard as things look currently, but offensive line coach Rick Dennison has a résumé dotted with getting the most out of individuals and his collective unit.
If Powers-Johnson somehow runs afoul with a third coaching staff this year, the conversation about him will probably change. But now's a time for unchecked optimism, with the idea that he will know exactly where he stands and be able to thrive more than at any other point in Las Vegas.
Jackson Powers-Johnson is (finally) in position to fulfill his potential with the Las Vegas Raiders
A lot of Raiders players are in prime position to level up, or break out in that more specific parlance, this season. But in honing in on just one breakout candidate for Las Vegas, Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network chose Powers-Johnson.
"A highly-touted prospect coming out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL Draft, Jackson Powers-Johnson has had a rocky path since entering the league. Admittedly, the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t been very good in those two seasons, but there’s a possibility that things change as he enters Year 3.
"Primarily, Powers-Johnson will benefit from playing alongside Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who should make life a lot easier for the Raiders’ guards. Having some more stability around him should make Powers-Johnson much more comfortable in 2025."
If one word can sum up what will be the biggest difference for Powers-Johnson in his third season, Infante absolutely found it: Stability. Everything else can flow naturally from that very straightforward, but not always simple (as recent Raiders' history shows), concept.
Players at more glamorous, stat-driven positions tend to be the focus when we consider breakout candidates each year. But the stars are aligning for Powers-Johnsons to leave a turbulent first two seasons behind, and finally fulfill the potential that had him regarded as a potential first-round pick.
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