Las Vegas Raiders’ second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson got benched for the second straight game on Sunday, riding the pine for 2025 third-round pick Caleb Rogers during their tough 35-21 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It’s a rough look when a high draft pick can only get on the field for four special teams snaps, especially after a game where the offense got absolutely run over.
Young Guns Falter Amidst Battle for the Line
Powers-Johnson isn’t just sitting out for no reason, though. The word from the locker room is he and Rogers are straight up battling it out in practice all week, which is intense for any player, let alone a second-rounder this early in their career. Meanwhile, fellow 2025 third-round pick D.J. Glaze, the right tackle, did his usual thing, starting at his position. You gotta wonder what’s really going on with Powers-Johnson, because you don’t spend a second-round pick to have a guy on the bench two weeks in a row. That’s a serious investment.
Bowers Stays Solid, Eichenberg Struggles
It wasn’t all bad news, though, or at least not for everyone. First-round tight end Brock Bowers was still out there doing his thing, pulling in six catches on eight targets for 73 yards. That’s just his usual damage. He played a massive 65 of 66 offensive snaps against Buffalo previously, and logged 84 percent of the snaps in Week 7. So, no issues there, he’s a reliable target. But down the line, fifth-round pick Tommy Eichenberg, the linebacker from Ohio State, played a season-high 43 defensive snaps because the Rams kept pounding them with 13 personnel. The problem? Eichenberg really struggled against the Rams’ rushing attack, which is not what you want to see when a team is leaning into the run game like that.
Laube Flashes on Special Teams
And hey, let’s talk about sixth-round pick Dylan Laube for a second. The dude didn’t even get on the field for an offensive snap, but he is flat out flashing as a kick returner. He had big returns of 38 and 42 yards against the Rams. This guy is leading the entire NFL in kick returns, averaging 31.1 yards per return! That’s elite, plain and simple. Even when the offense isn’t clicking, special teams can make a difference, and Laube is proving it.
The Raiders have to shake off that Rams loss quickly. They’re heading to the Meadowlands this Sunday to take on the New York Jets. It’s a chance for the 2025 class, especially guys like Powers-Johnson and Eichenberg, to show they can bounce back and make an impact when it matters. Laube will surely be looking to keep that return magic going, too.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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