Aug 23, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders guard Jordan Meredith (61) against the San Francisco 49ers in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why Raiders Went With Surprising Option at Key Spot

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders want to have the best roster they possibly can. They have been making moves all offseason long, and even now, leading up to the season, they continue to look to improve their roster.

The new regime, along with all the new coaches, evaluated the roster and the players the Raiders already had. They made some changes that they think will put the team in a better position to have success this season. They want to win games, and they are going to make the changes.

One important change that the new regime made this offseason came on the offensive line. The Raiders moved offensive line Jordan Meredith to the center position.

The skill set that Meredith showed on film and in practice helps them make that decision. That also meant that center Jackson Powers-Johnson moved to the right guard position. The good thing about this Raiders offensive line is that they have a lot of players who can play multiple positions on the offensive line.

Jordan Meredith

"He is just very consistent with his technique," said Raiders offensive line coach Brennan Carroll on Jordan Meredith. "He is very reliable, and that is what you need from your center. You need a guy who is going to be very consistent and down after down is going to put you in the right call. Get everyone organized. And then play with great technique, and he has really shown all those things. So there was some carryover, but this was a learning curve for him."

"He had not really ever gone full center. So, he has played it and taken reps at it, but this is new for him as well. He has handled this perfectly, and he is in a great spot right now.

"Yeah, this has been a little bit over the course of time. You know, when we were in the spring practices. We have more rotation. But then, kind of when we got out of spring, we kind of narrowed in on the way it looks right now. I think it has been great. He has done a fantastic job with it. It is a challenge playing center. I know it is kind of in the middle and you got help on either side, but it is a huge challenge cerebrally and physically. He has been great all the way through.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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