The Raiders’ offensive line is already under the microscope, and Jackson Powers-Johnson’s latest injury only sharpens the focus.
Las Vegas sent Powers-Johnson out of Tuesday’s practice against the Texans with an injury, a setback that came during one of the team’s most useful stretches of work before Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. With the Raiders in Houston for a preseason matchup on Thursday, the absence added another layer of uncertainty around a player who has flashed ability but hasn’t yet put together a clean run of availability.
Powers-Johnson’s first two seasons have told a mixed story. As a rookie, he missed two games, started 14 of the 15 he played, and showed the kind of versatility and edge the Raiders want up front.
But the penalties were there too, the kind that can derail drives and frustrate coaches. Last season, he played in eight games and started seven, then missed the rest of the 2025 season with injuries.
That combination - the mistakes, the injuries, the unfinished business - is why the questions keep coming. And it’s why his third season feels so important.
After training camp, Powers-Johnson brushed off the chatter around him.
“That's what you guys want to say. I'm just working.
I'm trying to get better every day. We are trying to get better every day," Powers-Johnson said.
"It's not about what I do or what I put out there. It's about what we do.
It's not one person. It's a whole team.
What I try and do, and what we try and do as a team, is step out there and get better at one thing every day."
The Raiders have spent the offseason loading up on offensive line depth, and that approach got tested quickly with Powers-Johnson sidelined. Caleb Rogers is set to step in and handle the work left behind by the injury, giving Las Vegas another look at its depth while the Texans provide a tough measuring stick.
With Powers-Johnson and Kolton Miller returning from injury and Tyler Linderbaum added to the mix, the offensive line has been one of the defining stories of the Raiders’ offseason. That won’t change anytime soon. Until the group settles, every practice and every preseason snap will keep feeding the same conversation.
And for Powers-Johnson, the stakes are simple: stay on the field, clean up the mistakes, and make the Raiders stop asking the question.
In Other News...
Raiders Joint Practice Just Took A Brutal Turn Texans Fans Feared
Joint practices are supposed to sharpen a team before the real games begin, but the Texans and Raiders ended up getting a reminder of how quickly the tone can change. Houston wide receiver Jayden Higgins, coming off a promising rookie season in 2025 with 41 catches, 525 yards and six touchdowns, was hurt during the session in Las Vegas, turning what should have been a routine preseason workday into a far more serious concern for the Texans.
Medical evaluations later confirmed the extent of the damage, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, and Houston now has to plan without one of its young receiving threats for the long haul. For the Raiders, the practice itself becomes part of an unfortunate footnote, while the larger concern is the kind of injury news that can alter a season before it even starts. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Early Test Vs Texans Exposed One Week 1 Concern
The Raiders have been using joint practices and preseason reps as part of their rebuild, and the recent work against the Texans offered a useful checkpoint on where the roster stands. Las Vegas has shown more structure than it did a year ago, and coach Kevin Kubiak has been able to point to real progress, but these sessions also serve their other purpose: exposing the rough edges before the games start counting.
One of the clearest areas to watch is up front, where the offense is still looking for more consistency as the regular season approaches. The Texans were able to make life difficult in those matchups, and the Raiders are still sorting through how to handle that kind of pressure while continuing to develop the new pieces around the quarterback situation. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A Real Week 2 Opening Against The Chargers
The Chargers were already trying to sort out their offensive line after a rough stretch of camp, and the latest setback only adds more uncertainty heading into their Week 2 meeting with the Raiders. Newly signed center Tyler Biadasz went down with a serious knee injury during a joint practice, and with Rashawn Slater also missing recent work, Los Angeles suddenly looks far less settled up front than it did a few days ago.
For Las Vegas, that changes the feel of a divisional game that could have looked much tougher on paper. The Raiders still have to prepare for a Chargers offense with plenty of talent, but the line issues now give them a real opening to attack and force Los Angeles into uncomfortable choices before Sunday arrives. [Read more 🡒]