HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Jackson Powers-Johnson has long been one of the more gregarious Raiders players since Las Vegas drafted him in the second round in 2024, his easygoing personality regularly on display in front of traditional and social media.
Now he's off social media and in meeting with the mainstream form on Thursday, a much more businesslike Powers-Johnson stood at the podium.
These indeed are serious times for Powers-Johnson, who is in the
fight of his career at right guard with Caleb Rogers, who was drafted in the third round last year out of Texas Tech. Powers-Johnson had started since the opening of training camp, until the past two days when he shared first-team repetitions with Rogers.
“It’s been the plan all along to get those guys competing and get guys mixed in there to see who our best five are," first-year coach Klint Kubiak said Friday.
The player known as JPJ became a Raider with the typical high expectations of such a high draft pick, and he seemed to embrace the attention that came with it.
But even though the Raiders started him as a rookie, Powers-Johnson has coped with inconsistent play and injuries that have cut into his in-season playing time and practice reps and cast doubts about his future in Las Vegas.
So now Powers-Johnson has something to prove this camp.
“That’s what you guys want to say," Powers-Johnson said at his post-practice media availability. "I’m just working. I’m trying to get better every day. We are trying to get better every day. 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.
"We’re not looking five or six months in the future. I’m not pocket watching. I’m not going to look all over that because that’s anxiety, and that’s something I don’t need and that’s something we don’t need as a team as well.”
He also probably didn't need the constant change that has come the Raiders' way since Powers-Johnson entered the NFL out of Oregon.
Powers-Johnson is on his third head coach in three seasons and fifth offensive coordinator. Las Vegas replaced its coordinator in-season each of the past two years.
He also has been shuffled along the interior line positions.
“I’ve seen a guy that’s very receptive," offensive line coach Rick Dennison said. "He wants to learn. Yes sir, no sir. Tell him to do something, he does it the best he can, and he corrects mistakes. He’s been a great teammate.”
Maybe this turns out to be a breakout season for Powers-Johnson, but his position is the only one on the offensive line in which a second player has received first-team reps this camp.
That shows his grip on the position is anything but secure, so it would make sense if he wants to tune out distractions away from the team facility.
Powers-Johnson said he stepped away from social media leading up to his July wedding because he wanted all his attention on his bride. He stayed off it to devote full focus to securing his spot with the Raiders.
“I’m happy,” Powers-Johnson said. “Feel good. I want to go play football. I don’t feel anxiety. I feel like I can just lean on my guys and my wife.”
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor and defensive ends Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford didn't practice. Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. left with an injury.
"We had a few guys nicked up and we’re trying to be cautious with them,” Kubiak said.
Rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy returned to practice after missing Thursday, a planned day off as Raiders coaches continue to be careful with him. McCoy was considered a first-round talent but was drafted in the fourth over concerns about a torn ACL that cost him last season at Tennessee.
Tight end Michael Mayer is practicing even with two black eyes and cuts on his nose from Monday's practice.
“Somebody in public the other day said something about it, and I was like, ‘You should have seen the other guy,'” Mayer said, jokingly.
Former NBA veteran center DeMarcus Cousins attended practice wearing a black Raiders shirt with the No. 15 and his last name on the back.
The shirt could be a tribute to the top two Raiders quarterbacks — starter Kirk Cousins and backup Fernando Mendoza, who wears No. 15.
But 15 also was a number DeMarcus Cousins wore in the NBA.
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