Raiders Offensive Line Faces First Adversity of 2026

The Raiders’ projected starting right guard is out with an injury. Jackson Powers-Johnson left Monday’s practice early then missed Tuesday’s joint practice with the Texans.

Head coach Klint Kubiak said he doesn’t expect Powers-Johnson to play in Thursday’s preseason game either.

That leaves Caleb Rogers as the starting right guard for the week. Rogers has been pushing for the starting right guard spot, but was still behind Powers-Johnson in the pecking order.

As the Raiders experienced last season, offensive lines rarely keep their starting five intact. Injuries propel second-stringers to bigger roles. The Raiders did very little to improve the depth of the offensive line in the offseason, leaving them just as vulnerable.

Struggles against the Texans

Tuesday’s joint practice didn’t seem to go well for the Raiders.

The run game was described as “bleak” when the Raiders’ starting offense faced off with the Texans’ top defensive unit. The Texans were “decidedly better” in the trenches as well. It sounds a lot like last season.

Geno Smith was constantly under pressure as the Raiders’ quarterback in 2025. Ashton Jeanty had an inefficient season as a rookie running back. It all stems from the porous offensive line.

The Raiders’ offensive line held its own against the Cardinals in last week’s preseason game. But it was a single offensive series, and the Cardinals’ defense is not projected to be any good.

Houston meanwhile should have one of the league’s better defenses. While getting beat up in joint practice in mid-August is better than during the regular season, the Raiders’ offensive line needs to be significantly better to avoid having a repeat of last year’s atrocious offense.