A few weeks ago, there seemed no reason the Raiders would be without Jackson Powers-Johnson to open the season. The rookie round two pick had missed all of camp with an undisclosed injury, but returned a couple weeks before the season opener.
And while this doesn’t guarantee he would be play or even be active for the game, that figured to be a decision based solely around whether he was up to speed and in game shape.
The situation now is back to being about his health. He showed up on the injury report last week with an illness and this week continues to be limited by that illness. Leading Antonio Pierce to put him in a wait-and-see mode for Week 2.
Pierce said Friday that Powers-Johnson will be a game time decision when the Raiders travel to Baltimore. Which suggests the plan is for hi to travel with the team, but whether he is active will depend on how he feels at that time. Though it’s also possible that even if he feels fine, he might not be ready due to how much time he’s missed.
Not a great thing to be without a player the team drafted with the intention of immediately inserting him as their starting left guard.
Cody Whitehair is again expected to start at left guard this week and until if and when the team feels a change should be made.