One of the strangest stories for the Las Vegas Raiders last season was Jackson Powers-Johnson falling out of favor with the coaching staff. The former second-round pick looked strong at center during his rookie season, but the coaching staff decided to move him back to guard, and he had to fight to get a starting job.
He ended the season injured, but when Pete Carroll’s staff got fired, many expected that he’d be back in the mix to be a starter at guard. However, it doesn’t look like it’ll be that easy for Powers-Johnson.
At this point, he might be ready for a fresh start. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton suggested that the Raiders trade him to the Seattle Seahawks for a mid-round pick in 2027.
“The Seahawks have a decent offensive line, though they can attempt to upgrade it on the interior. Aside from 2025 first-rounder Grey Zabel, Seattle has replacement-level starters in center Jalen Sundell and right guard Anthony Bradford,” Moton wrote. “The reigning champions lost lead running back Kenneth Walker III in free agency, but they can field a productive ground attack with a high-end offensive line group. The Seahawks should inquire about Powers-Johnson, who’s battling for a starting guard position with the Raiders in consecutive offseasons.
“If Powers-Johnson doesn’t earn a starting job at guard, head coach Klint Kubiak may be willing to give his former team a parting gift. Powers-Johnson could play his natural position at center in Seattle, which won’t happen in Las Vegas with three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum in that spot.”
Too Early to Give up on JPJ?
Powers-Johnson was very highly thought of coming out of Oregon. In fact, many were surprised he fell out of the first round.
When he’s been able to play, he’s been solid. His biggest problem is staying healthy. He’s already dealt with multiple concussions and suffered a season-ending ankle injury last season.
While the injuries are a concern, when healthy, he can still be an impact player. The Raiders had the worst offensive line in the NFL last season, so giving up on a high-upside player like Powers-Johnson might be shortsighted. He’s still under contract for two more seasons, so it might be worth it to see what he can do in Klint Kubiak’s offense.
Tyler Linderbaum Ranked 8th-Best Interior OL
What will help Powers-Johnson is that he can solely focus on playing guard. The Raiders have their center of the future in Tyler Linderbaum.
The team gave him a record-breaking contract in free agency, and he’s still young enough to be in their long-term plans. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled people around the NFL, and they had Linderbaum ranked as the eighth-best interior offensive lineman in the league.
“Linderbaum hit the market at a perfect time this March, as a rare Pro Bowl offensive lineman available in free agency,” Fowler wrote. “The Raiders gave him a record-shattering three-year, $81 million contract.
“Linderbaum upgrades the Raiders’ offense immediately. He’s known as an elite run blocker. But in the passing game, he also ranked second among centers in pass block win rate (97.2%) last season.”
New Trade Proposal Has Raiders Give up on Jackson Powers-Johnson