Raiders Rookie Caleb Rogers Finally Gets His Shot - And Delivers
For most of this season, the Raiders’ offensive line has been a revolving door of inconsistency - a unit that’s struggled to find rhythm, protection, and answers. But one of the more curious storylines has been the extended absence of third-round rookie Caleb Rogers from the lineup, especially given the team's ongoing issues up front.
When starting lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson went down in mid-November, the expectation around the league - and certainly among Raiders fans - was that Rogers would finally get his shot. Instead, he was a healthy scratch against the Cowboys, reportedly due to a less-than-stellar week of practice. It was a surprising decision for a line that had been searching for stability.
Even after that Cowboys game, Rogers saw just 17 snaps against the Chargers. It wasn’t until the Raiders matched up with the Broncos that he was finally given a full workload - and he made the most of it.
Facing a Denver pass rush that ranks among the league’s most disruptive, Rogers didn’t just hold his own - he excelled. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the second-highest graded offensive lineman for the Raiders that day.
More importantly, he allowed zero pressures on 39 pass-blocking snaps. In a season where clean pockets have been rare, that kind of performance stands out.
Now, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s fair to question the decision to keep Rogers on the sidelines for 13 weeks. The Raiders have struggled all year to protect the quarterback and establish a consistent ground game. If Rogers was capable of this level of play, why did it take so long for him to see the field?
On Monday, longtime Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter weighed in on that very question during his appearance on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“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 suggest there may have been more going on behind the scenes when it came to personnel decisions. He’s hinted in recent weeks that certain coaching decisions may have been influenced by voices above the sideline - referencing names like Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly in similar contexts.
Whether that’s the case here or not, what matters now is that Rogers is finally on the field - and showing why he was a Day 2 draft pick. His performance against the Broncos wasn’t just solid for a rookie; it was the kind of outing that gives a coaching staff confidence moving forward.
For the Raiders, who have been in desperate need of answers along the offensive line, Rogers’ emergence is a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent season. And for a rookie who waited patiently for his shot, it’s a well-earned moment that could mark the beginning of a much larger role.