The Las Vegas Raiders are stumbling through a nightmare 2025 NFL season, and with the November 4 trade deadline looming like a storm cloud, they’re poised to offload assets in a fire sale. While wide receiver Jakobi Meyers tops the rumor mill as the most likely to bolt, whispers are growing louder about second-year offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson—a talented but beleaguered piece of the Raiders’ puzzle who might soon be packing his bags.
Powers-Johnson, a former standout center from college, has endured a rocky ride under the new coaching regime. Shuffled from center to guard in training camp, he battled veteran Alex Cappa for a starting spot and emerged victorious—only to face repeated benchings, including a humiliating demotion during the Week 7 thrashing by the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s clear the staff’s faith in him is wafer-thin, fueling speculation that he’s expendable.
But here’s where it gets juicy: Last week, we flagged Powers-Johnson as a surprise trade chip, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox doubled down, naming the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams as suitors. The proposed return? A measly fourth-round pick or a swap for a veteran cornerback. Knox didn’t mince words: “The current Las Vegas Raiders regime just doesn’t seem to like 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson.” He highlighted the 22-year-old’s benching despite his rookie promise and argued the Raiders should flip him to a believer while they can.
Insiders, however, aren’t buying this bargain-bin valuation. When floated the idea of shipping Powers-Johnson for such scraps, the response from league sources was swift and savage: “Laughable.” That’s the one-word gut punch echoing through back channels—dismissing the “low-ball” offer as an insult to a player with sky-high upside.
Let’s break it down. Powers-Johnson’s 2025 stats aren’t setting the world on fire—he’s started five games with a 63.7 Pro Football Focus grade, ranking 31st among 82 qualifying guards. He’s a beast in run blocking (72.0 grade, 15th overall), but pass protection has been his Achilles’ heel (47.4 grade, 69th), coughing up two sacks, two hits, and four hurries. Still, at just 22 and fresh off a PFWA All-Rookie nod last season, he’s no scrub. This dip feels more like sophomore slump than permanent bust.
Why rush to dump him now, when his value’s scraping the basement? The Raiders are starved for young talent with proven NFL chops—players who can anchor the line when this rebuild finally clicks. Trading him for Day 3 peanuts or a dime-a-dozen corner ignores his two years left on a rookie deal and the growth potential that’s screaming for patience.
Sure, the deadline beckons, and unloading veterans makes strategic sense for a team eyeing the future. But Powers-Johnson isn’t some aging rental; he’s a foundational block weathering growing pains. If the coaches remain unconvinced after the season’s back half, fine—shop him in the offseason for a haul that reflects his worth, not this underwhelming appetizer.
Bottom line: The Raiders’ flirtation with a low-ball deal for Powers-Johnson isn’t just premature; it’s shortsighted. And as insiders’ brutal verdict rings out—”Laughable”—it’s a stark reminder: Don’t sell low on tomorrow’s stars today.