A quieter Jackson Powers-Johnson and the Raiders camp fight that could define his season

Las Vegas Raiders halfway Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) warms up earlier an NFL shot crippled betwixt the Las Vegas Raiders and the Chicago Bears astatine Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. Photo by: Steve Marcus

Jackson Powers-Johnson has agelong been 1 of the much gregarious Raiders players since Las Vegas drafted him successful the 2nd circular successful 2024, his easygoing property regularly connected show successful beforehand of accepted and societal media.

Now he's disconnected societal media and successful gathering with the mainstream signifier connected Thursday, a overmuch much businesslike Powers-Johnson stood astatine the podium.

These so are superior times for Powers-Johnson, who is successful the combat of his vocation astatine close defender with Caleb Rogers, who was drafted successful the 3rd circular past twelvemonth retired of Texas Tech. Powers-Johnson had started since the opening of grooming camp, until the past 2 days erstwhile helium shared first-team repetitions with Rogers.

“It’s been the program each on to get those guys competing and get guys mixed successful determination to spot who our champion 5 are," first-year manager Klint Kubiak said Friday.

The subordinate known arsenic JPJ became a Raider with the emblematic precocious expectations of specified a precocious draught pick, and helium seemed to clasp the attraction that came with it.

But adjacent though the Raiders started him arsenic a rookie, Powers-Johnson has coped with inconsistent play and injuries that person chopped into his in-season playing clip and signifier reps and formed doubts astir his aboriginal successful Las Vegas.

So present Powers-Johnson has thing to beryllium this camp.

“That’s what you guys privation to say," Powers-Johnson said astatine his post-practice media availability. "I’m conscionable working. I’m trying to get amended each day. We are trying to get amended each day. It’s not astir what I bash oregon what I enactment retired there. It’s astir what we do. It’s not 1 person. It’s a full team.

"We’re not looking 5 oregon six months successful the future. I’m not pouch watching. I’m not going to look each implicit that due to the fact that that’s anxiety, and that’s thing I don’t request and that’s thing we don’t request arsenic a squad arsenic well.”

He besides astir apt didn't request the changeless alteration that has travel the Raiders' mode since Powers-Johnson entered the NFL retired of Oregon.

Powers-Johnson is connected his 3rd caput manager successful 3 seasons and 5th violative coordinator. Las Vegas replaced its coordinator in-season each of the past 2 years.

He besides has been shuffled on the interior enactment positions.

“I’ve seen a feline that’s precise receptive," violative enactment manager Rick Dennison said. "He wants to learn. Yes sir, nary sir. Tell him to bash something, helium does it the champion helium can, and helium corrects mistakes. He’s been a large teammate.”

Maybe this turns retired to beryllium a breakout play for Powers-Johnson, but his presumption is the lone 1 connected the violative enactment successful which a 2nd subordinate has received first-team reps this camp.

That shows his grip connected the presumption is thing but secure, truthful it would marque consciousness if helium wants to tune retired distractions distant from the squad facility.

Powers-Johnson said helium stepped distant from societal media starring up to his July wedding due to the fact that helium wanted each his attraction connected his bride. He stayed disconnected it to give afloat absorption to securing his spot with the Raiders.

“I’m happy,” Powers-Johnson said. “Feel good. I privation to spell play football. I don’t consciousness anxiety. I consciousness similar I tin conscionable thin connected my guys and my wife.”