Las Vegas Raiders right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson returned to padded practice after missing the joint practice and preseason game against the Texans with an injury.
Powers-Johnson was back on the field and padded up for practice, per Sam Warren, Jesse Merrick and Ryan McFadden. The presumptive starting right guard had missed both the joint practice and preseason game against the Houston Texans after leaving practice early the previous week with an injury.
His return matters immediately for Las Vegas’ offensive line, one of the most closely watched units on the roster this camp. Powers-Johnson is the starting right guard and a key piece of the interior line tasked with protecting whichever quarterback ends up under center, whether that’s Kirk Cousins to open the season or Fernando Mendoza down the line. His absence in Houston was notable.
The Raiders missed JPJ during joint practice and preseason Week 2…
The line struggled against Houston’s defensive front without him, and evaluators pointed to his absence as a factor in some of those issues. With final roster cuts approaching and the offensive line still working through its pecking order, having a full week of padded reps back with the starting unit gives coaches a clearer picture of the group’s ceiling before the games start counting. It also reduces the risk of Las Vegas needing to lean further into in-season internal shuffling or an outside addition along the interior line, which would matter both for depth chart stability and for cap flexibility already earmarked elsewhere.
Related: TE Brock Bowers is about to reset the entire NFL market
Expect the Raiders to manage his reps carefully over the final stretch of preseason, easing him back in rather than pushing him into extended live action right away.
How much does Powers-Johnson’s return change your confidence in the offensive line heading into Week 1?
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images