The Raiders’ offensive line picture is starting to take shape, and the most intriguing part of it may be the youth movement behind the presumed starters.
Through OTAs, the first group up front appeared to be Kolton Miller, Spencer Burford, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson and D.J. Glaze. But according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, two third-round picks are making a loud push to force their way into the lineup: Caleb Rogers and Trey Zuhn.
“I thought Caleb Rogers looked exceptional today. He did not look good. He looked exceptional,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast on Thursday.
“No pads, but he made it very clear, ‘I’m Physical’ and sent some messages to the defense. Again, I told you all, it’s hard for me to imagine that we’re not going to see Caleb Rodgers, if not at the start of the year, I don’t think it’s going to be long until we’re going to see him in the starting lineup.
That young man looked good. He had a great practice today.
Trey Zuhn, same thing. Sooner rather than later.
He looked exceptional today.”
That kind of buzz matters because the Raiders have spent heavily on the offensive line over the last two drafts, and the first-year and second-year blockers are now stepping into a new system under Klint Kubiak.
The most interesting job battle may be at right guard, where Jackson Powers-Johnson’s hold on a starting spot does not sound secure. Raiders insider Jesse Merrick said there are people around the team who believe Powers-Johnson could be in “shaky ground” heading into training camp.
“I just get the feeling that Burford could be in the guy there at left guard. To me, right guard is where it’s really interesting.
And the real question there, JPJ has to prove that he can stay healthy and play clean football. We know that he’s had some issues with flags and things like that,” Merrick said on the Silver & Black Sports Network podcast.
“Everyone I talk to leads me to believe that JPJ is on shaky ground. I’m not fully there yet, but I’m starting to warm to that idea as much as I don’t want to.
It honestly makes me think that the battle with him, third round pick Trey Zuhn and Caleb Rogers is very real and makes that all the more interesting as that pans out. Also too, don’t rule out Zuhn and maybe even Caleb [Rogers] competing at left guard as well.
I think both of those guys have the versatility to play both guard spots.”
Powers-Johnson has flashed high-end play at times, including stretches where he performed at a Pro Bowl level. But injuries and what the source describes as an apparent lack of discipline have kept him from becoming a steady presence since the Raiders drafted him in 2024.
That uncertainty is now carrying into a second straight coaching staff, which appears to have questions about how he fits going forward.
Still, Powers-Johnson did report to training camp last week with the rookies, a sign that he appears to be in the right frame of mind as he heads into a summer where Rogers and Zuhn are both pressing hard for jobs.
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