It took 13 weeks, but the Raiders finally gave Caleb Rogers his shot - and he made the most of it.
Starting at right guard for the first time and playing a full game, Rogers delivered the kind of performance that had fans and analysts wondering why it took so long. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the Raiders’ second-highest graded offensive lineman on the day, and more impressively, he didn’t allow a single pressure across 39 pass-blocking snaps.
Zero. That’s not just solid - that’s clean-pocket excellence.
For a Raiders offensive line that’s been anything but stable this season, Rogers’ debut as a full-time starter was a breath of fresh air. And while it’s easy to question why it took until Week 13 to see him in this role, there may be more to the story than meets the eye.
Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal shed some light on the situation during a recent appearance on the Vegas Nation: First and 10 podcast. According to Bonsignore, Rogers himself admitted he wasn’t ready coming out of training camp.
His hand placement and footwork were, in his own words, “a mess.” That’s not uncommon for rookie linemen making the jump to the NFL - technique takes time, and the margin for error shrinks dramatically at this level.
Rogers reportedly worked closely with the coaching staff to clean up those fundamentals, and the payoff was on full display this past Sunday. Bonsignore suggested that the time spent developing behind the scenes may have been exactly what Rogers needed to hit the ground running when his number was finally called.
That’s the optimistic view - and it’s fair to give credit where it’s due if that development plan was intentional. But given how the Raiders have handled their offensive line throughout the season, it’s also fair to raise an eyebrow.
The revolving door at center, the curious case of Jackson Powers-Johnson’s usage (or lack thereof), and the overall inconsistency in the trenches haven’t exactly inspired confidence in the staff’s ability to evaluate and deploy talent effectively. So while Rogers’ emergence is a win, it’s hard to say whether it was the result of a well-crafted plan or simply a long-overdue correction.
Adding another layer to the story is a theory that’s been gaining traction in recent weeks - that some of the Raiders’ roster decisions haven’t been entirely in the hands of the coaching staff or front office.
On the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast, Sports Illustrated’s Hondo Carpenter hinted at outside influence affecting playing time decisions. “I thought Caleb Rogers in his second start was good,” Carpenter said. “There are questions there, and I want to say this: The person responsible for Caleb Rogers not playing earlier this year should take accountability for that.”
Carpenter didn’t name names, but his comments suggested the decision may have come from someone above general manager John Spytek. That narrows the field to the ownership level - either minority owner Tom Brady or principal owner Mark Davis.
It’s impossible to say definitively who made what call, but the implication is clear: someone with significant authority may have had a hand in delaying Rogers’ debut. Whether that was out of caution, politics, or a misread on his readiness is anyone’s guess. What we do know is that Rogers looked the part on Sunday - poised, polished, and ready.
For a Raiders team that’s been searching for answers in the trenches all season long, that’s a huge development. If Rogers can string together more performances like this, it not only solidifies a key spot on the line, but it also gives the team a young, cost-controlled asset to build around moving forward.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s a sign that some of the pieces are finally starting to fall into place - even if it took a little longer than expected.