We finally have some actual football to talk about, as the Las Vegas Raiders had their first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. So, we’ll be touching on that and training camp in this week’s mailbag.
Q: What’s up with Jackson Powers-Johnson having to fight for a job, any job?
A: This is one of the biggest questions I have right now, so I wish I had a more concrete answer. I get the feeling the new coaching staff isn’t completely sold on Powers-Johnson and is trying to send a message to him.
He and Maxx Crosby talked about how they didn’t get along at first last year, with the presumption being that JPJ’s work ethic wasn’t up to Crosby’s standards. However, the Pro Bowl pass rusher has since sung the center’s praises, and they have a great relationship now.
The reason I bring that up is maybe the coaching staff has some concerns about Powers-Johnson’s practice habits, but that’s just speculation. I also get the sense that they don’t trust him with the mental aspects of playing center, like setting the protection, identifying the MIKE, etc. Even when JPJ is at center, Alex Cappa or someone else typically takes those responsibilities.
Still, the Raiders’ plan with Powers-Johnson doesn’t make sense to me. In my opinion, he’s their best interior offensive lineman and is an easy choice to start. Hopefully, he takes command of the position battle soon.
A: I thought Powers-Johnson was better at center than guard last season, and he was the best center in College Football two years ago. That being said, guards make more money than centers, so financially, JPJ would be better off mastering guard. I also thought Meredith looked pretty good at guard, but he does have size limitations that profile better at the pivot.
A: No, they could have Parham and Meredith at the guard spots and JPJ at center while Alex Cappa rides the bench. More than anything, I think the coaching staff views Meredith as having potential at center to explain why he and JPJ would switch positions.
Q: Is there any truth to the recent reports that Dylan Parham is currently weighing in at 332 lbs and Thayer Munford at 354? If they are, are they carrying it well in terms of movement and strength?
A: I’m not at training camp, so I can’t say how well they are carrying the weight. But those are the numbers that are listed on the Raiders’ roster, and Parham definitely looks bigger than ever. Munford has always been a bigger dude, so it’s harder to tell with him, but I don’t think they’d have a reason to fudge the numbers.
Especially with Parham, I’d imagine Chip Kelly and the offensive coaching staff wanted the linemen to add some size and strength to help with the gap-run blocking.
Q: Is the Thayer Mumford guard experiment over?
A: I wouldn’t say it’s over because I think Munford can still fill in at guard in a pinch. However, if he isn’t going to be a starter, he provides more value to the team at tackle. Las Vegas’ other backup tackles right now are Charles Grant, Dalton Wagner and Parker Clements, all of whom lack NFL experience. Meanwhile, Munford has logged reps at both tackle spots to be a decent option as a swing tackle.
Q: I thought Jakorian Bennett might tackle better now that his shoulder has healed. Was that still an issue, and what do you think of the trade?
A: That’s a fair thought, but Bennett did struggle with tackling in college, recording 13 misses over his last two seasons at Maryland, per Pro Football Focus. He might have been better with a healthy shoulder; however, there have been several reports suggesting that he was struggling with the new techniques and scheme the coaching staff has been implementing. Combine all of that with not meeting Pete Carroll’s size thresholds, and that sums up why Bennett was traded.
As far as my thoughts on the trade, I had a feeling it was coming. The only real surprise to me was that it was a player-for-player deal instead of getting picks in return. I don’t know if Thomas Booker IV will make the 53-man roster, but he did play well on Thursday. That’s impressive, seeing as the team traded for him just two days before that.
Q: Who are the current starters at defensive tackle? Who is the third safety when three are on the field?
A: Adam Butler is solidified as a starting defensive tackle, while the other spot is up for grabs. Jonah Laulu seems to be the favorite, but don’t count out Zach Carter, Booker or one of the rookies; JJ Pegues and Tonka Hemingway. It’s a wide-open position group, but based on what the coaching staff and other players have had to say about him, I’d expect Laulu to win the job.
With Lonnie Johnson Jr. injured, Thomas Harper is the likely choice as the third safety. He was in that role last season, and barring Chris Smith II or Trey Taylor stepping up, Harper is the most logical choice.
A: I think it will lean toward the latter, more H-back sets. Kelly likes to use 12 and 13 personnel, but hasn’t used a fullback much in the past. Maybe later in the season, they’ll give Pegues a shot to be a fullback/short-yardage back, but I don’t think the coaching staff wants to overwhelm the rookie right now.
A: I like the idea, especially since there are so many new starters this season. Now, guys like Geno Smith and Jakobi Meyers can get a few live game reps together before the start of the regular season, and the same logic applies to the defense and other position groups. Of course, you don’t want to be reckless in games that don’t matter, but I understand Carroll’s logic. Also, he’s all about competing, and this is another way to help establish culture; always compete, even when the scoreboard technically doesn’t matter.
Q: If the Raiders were to trade for Micah Parsons or Terry McLaurin, which do you think they should go for?
A: To be clear, I’d be pretty surprised if they trade for either player. But, personally, I’d target Parsons over McLaurin. Parsons is younger and would form a nasty pass-rush duo with Maxx Crosby. Granted, wide receiver is a bigger need, but I’m thinking more long-term here.
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to SBPQuestions1@gmail.com or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays. Sign up and go to the comments section.
