Raiders coach Pete Carroll came as close to naming a starting center as he has to date after the team’s 22-19 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday.
While Jordan Meredith has been almost exclusively taking the first-team reps at center and presumptive starting center Jackson Powers-Johnson has been spending almost all of his time at guard since the first week of camp, it appears the center job is now Meredith’s for the keeping.
“I think Jordan Meredith has done a really good job,” Carroll said of the veteran lineman who had spent his first four seasons at guard and was expected to once again compete for a spot at the position before the coaching staff decided to try him at center. “Way back, (center) was the competition we were really focused on to see how it would go and I think he’s really taken that thing over and done a fine job with it.”
Powers-Johnson played both guard and center as a rookie last season, but was all but set in stone as the starting center for the franchise’s present and future in the eyes of just about everyone but the coaching staff. It was a bit of a surprise early in training camp when he was alternating days with Meredith with the first unit at center, but now it seems he is in more of a battle with Alex Cappa, who missed the game due to a rib injury, to be the starting right guard.
“He is battling at the guard spot and we know we’ve got a real physical guy who is fired up and helps us out as well,” Carroll said. “The moves, I think, were well chosen and I think we’re going to benefit from them.”
Powers-Johnson isn’t concerned with where he lines up.
“It’s been fun (playing guard again),” he said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve been consistent that I’ll play wherever they need me. If they need me to throw the ball, I’ll do that, too. Guard is a lot of fun and it’s super easy when you have a great guy next to you like Jordan Meredith and to be surrounded by him and (right tackle) DJ Glaze makes it a lot of fun to play football.”
If Powers-Johnson is upset by the move, he hasn’t shown it. He and Meredith were standing together on the sideline screaming encouragement at their teammates late in Saturday’s game even though the outcome was of little consequence.
“It’s football and I love it,” Powers-Johnson said. “And I love my guys. It’s easy to be that enthusiastic and to be hooting and hollering when you love the guys you’re playing with. They played amazing and showed so much fight and resilience.”
Carroll’s bigger concern was seeing improvement up front after the top unit struggled against Seattle last week.
“We’re seeing them in practice make progress and I thought they carried it into the game,” he said. “We were able to protect (quarterback) Geno (Smith) and run the ball a little bit in the first half and it felt like we had reason to be confident in them doing the job.”
That included running back Ashton Jeanty picking up 33 yards on seven carries, highlighted by a vicious stiff-arm of 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. It’s the kind of play that fired up Powers-Johnson and the rest of the line.
“For him to do that, it’s why we drafted him,” Powers-Johnson said. “I think it’s so cool for him to do that to silence some of the media because in the first game he didn’t get a lot of touches and some people already want to start saying the b-word (bust). So for him to go out and show how he can play football, it’s amazing. I’m very happy for him. And seeing a running back who runs as hard as you try to block is all you can ask for.”
Keeping it close
The Raiders played another game down to the wire after finishing their preseason opener with a tie in Seattle lastweek.
Carroll believes the narrow margins provide good practice for the regular season.
“It’s important to feel what it feels like to be in close games,” he said. “The finish part of the game is something I take great pride in and always have. How you do it and how you get it done and how you execute down the stretch? We have to have a mentality about it and we’re seeing it come to life on both sides of the football where you have to execute and do right and outlast the team you’re playing. Give credit to (the 49ers), they did a good job today.”
Showing local love
Raheem Mostert and Brock Bowers were joined as captains for the pregame coin toss by the three Raiders who attended Las Vegas-area high schools.
Centennial’s Jonah Laulu was one of the captains, along with Kyu Blu Kelly and Treven Ma’ae of Bishop Gorman.
“It was so dope,” Blu Kelly said. “I said it earlier in the week that we can really inspire the youth out here and I think them seeing me, Jonah and Treven playing and being captains is really cool.
“We just always remind each other to always put on for the 702. We’re the kids who get to play for the Raiders. We all dreamed of it and we have to really take advantage of it.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.