The Las Vegas Raiders have had a disappointing start to the season, as they hold a 1-3 record through four games. A new regime of general manager Jon Spytek, head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator and former Oregon Ducks head coach Chip Kelly had high hopes of achieving the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2021.

That hasn’t gone as planned, with the running game not living up to expectations. Former Ducks center Jackson Powers-Johnson, the 2023 Rimington Trophy winner (awarded to the nation’s most outstanding center), has been at the forefront of the headlines along the offensive line.

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Powers-Johnson, who was drafted in the second round at 44th overall in the 2024 draft by Las Vegas, started several games at center during his rookie season. But entering his second year, Carroll and his staff moved previous starting right guard Jordan Meredith to center, creating a competition at right guard between Powers-Johnson and former Cincinnati Bengals veteran Alex Cappa, whom the Raiders signed in the offseason.

The two have each logged significant snaps through four weeks, as the competition didn’t seem to be fully finished by the time the season kicked off.

Powers-Johnson was the one on the field during Las Vegas’ best rushing day of the season against the Chicago Bears in Week 4, as they amassed 240 yards on the ground and a staggering 7.7 yards per carry. The dominant effort earned the former Duck his second straight start according to Carroll. It will come against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Despite earning the starting nod, Kelly had several intriguing comments on Powers-Johnson during his Thursday press conference.

“Let me just tell you, I love JPJ,” he said. “But, his head’s really big right now… He’s a tough kid, he plays his tail off. He’s a physical player. You know, obviously when he was out, you lose that physicality that he brings.”

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While Kelly’s comment came in a tongue-in-cheek manner, it’s rather telling.

Powers-Johnson wasn’t drafted by Spytek, Carroll or Kelly; instead, he was selected by the previous regime, headlined by former general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce. That’s certainly something that can change the dynamic in a coach-player relationship, as well as the opportunities and chances given to a player.

In Powers-Johnson’s case, it doesn’t seem like he’s completely earned the coaching staff’s trust, signaled by their signing of Cappa and resistance to name him a full-season starter. But if he, along with the rest of the Raiders offensive line, continue to have explosive performances as they did in Week 4, the outlook is bright for the former Oregon standout.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Chip Kelly pokes fun at former Oregon Duck Jackson Powers-Johnson