As part of the 2025 draft class, offensive lineman Caleb Rogers found himself sitting, watching, and learning for much of his rookie campaign.
Even with the team struggling mightily and competitiveness waning week-to-week — normally an opportune time for a team in the dumps to play rookies and younger players to take stock of what they have — the third-round pick (98th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft didn’t get an official offensive snap until Week 13. The team was 2-9 at that point and after a 31-14 thumping from AFC West foe Los Angeles Chargers, the Raiders dropped to 2-10.
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In between that time, however, was reported struggles in practice — with Pete Carroll’s coaching staff holding him back due what they classified as inability to absorb coaching. And when word got out that Rogers would be making the start against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11, the Texas Tech product was instead a healthy scratch.
However, from Week 14 on, the 6-foot-4 and 312-pound Rogers played all the offensive snaps in the final give games of the season, with the majority of the work at right guard. When all was said and done, the rookie graded out as a bright spot on the much-maligned Brennan Carroll-led Raiders offensive line. The Texas native proved to be an asset in pass protection while developing as a run blocker and was a paragon of discipline with zero penalties across his 284 snaps last year.
Now, the 24-year-old heads into a 2026 season with a new head coach — Klint Kubiak — and a veteran offensive line coach — Rick Dennison — with Las Vegas cleansing itself of nepotism in the coaching staff. That alone doesn’t guarantee success of course, but the vibes have changed exponentially in the desert. Which portends good things for Rogers and the Raiders offensive line.
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However, much like last offseason, Rogers finds himself steeped in impressing another coaching staff and fighting for a a starting gig. With Kubiak’s desert marauders engaged in training camp with veterans slated to report this coming Tuesday, the opportunities are there. And based on his play in the final six games of the 2025 season, the Year 2 bar for Rogers is going from promising rookie to a regular starter at guard.
Expect the competition on both sides of the Raiders trenches to be lively in camp and likely preseason games. For Kubiak’s offense to have any success in his inaugural season helming an NFL team, Las Vegas’ offensive line needs marked improvement. Dennison’s work with the big uglies will dictate much of the Raiders success and failures this coming season.
Fortunately for both coaches, there’s talent in the offensive trenches.
For much of the offseason, free agent addition Spencer Burford and incumbent Jackson Powers-Johnson took most of the early first-team repetitions at left and right guard, respectively. By all accounts and appearances heading into training camp, the two guard spots have the heaviest concentration of competition. Kolton Miller is entrenched at left tackle, nary a Raider is going to challenge prized free-agent signing Tyler Linderbaum at center, and DJ Glaze is holding down the fort at right tackle.
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Viewed as a one-year, $3.225 million low-risk flier and depth signing on March 17, Burford showed early his familiarity with Kyle Shanahan’s wide-zone system with the San Francisco 49ers is paying dividends in the desert as Kubiak deploys a similar system. The blocking scheme Burford experienced with Shanahan is similar to Kubiak’s in that it’s complex, relies on flawless timing, body angling, and deep understanding of running paths over raw power. Considering all that, we shouldn’t be surprised that the 6-foot-4 and 300-pound Burford has notched more first-team snaps at left guard than any other lineman.
Powers-Johnson, meanwhile, showcases the brute-force strength and anchor ability in his 6-foot-3 and 325-pound frame. Despite being a stockier presence compared to others, Powers-Johnson is experienced in zone concepts during his Oregon Ducks days and although the wide/outside zone is a Kubiak staple, he and Dennison showed last year with the Seattle Seahawks gap and power elements can be intermixed and deployed to put offensive linemen in the best possible position to succeed.
The potential of having two people-mover-type linemen next to each other with Linderbaum and Powers-Johnson on the Raiders interior line is enticing as those are two tone-setting types. The former has put it all together mentally and physically and the latter needs to do the same to establish themselves as a reliable and consistent performer.
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Which brings us back to Rogers.
Despite getting drafted a year later, Rogers is older at 24 years old than Powers-Johnson (drafted in the second round of the 2024 draft and is 23 years of age), but it’s the Texas Tech’s athleticism that makes him a strong fit for the zone work Kubiak and Dennison prefer. With a lightning-quick first step and fluidity in space, Rogers has the ability to move and reach targets at the second level. That agility also helps him combat pass rushers in pass protection. However, its the run blocking and ability to withstand powerful defenders that is a must-improve for Rogers.
He struggled against the straight-ahead brute-force he faced as a rookie and it’ll be intriguing to see how Kubiak’s and Dennison’s scheme and teachings can either improve that or mask it somewhat with the movement of the line as a group.
While he may not have the power that Powers-Johnson possesses or the institutional knowledge of the scheme Burford has, Rogers performance in 2025 tops Burford’s pass-blocking chops — he struggled with power and direct one-on-one blocking assignments in pass protection — during his four seasons with the 49ers, and he’s a much better mover than Powers-Johnson.
That’s what makes the right for the starting guard spots all the more interesting. Rogers, Burford, and Powers-Johnson each bring something astutely unique to the table and we’ll see who comes out on top to earn the starting nod.
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Don’t be surprised if it comes down to the best ability any football player can showcase to a coaching staff: Availability. Both Burford and Powers-Johnson had stints on injured reserve during their respective careers and with more snaps and prolonged appearances, we’ll see how Rogers’ body holds up to the rigors of NFL life.
Each player holds their destiny in their respective hands and for Rogers, improving consistency in run blocking, continuing to showcase disciple (Kubiak is a stickler for attention to detail, by the way), and proving he’s the best option as both pass protector and move blocker in the run game are all ways he can impress and lock-in a starting spot.
Would not winning a starting gig be detrimental?
I’m sure it’d be disappointing. But at just 24 years old and with Burford’s and Powers-Johnson’s injury history, being a ready-and-able backup wouldn’t be the end of the world.
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