Center talked about how the weight loss can help him improve in year two
Las Vegas Raiders starting center Jackson Powers-Johnson had a strong rookie season last year to show plenty of promise moving forward. Now it’s just a matter of building off that campaign and avoiding the sophomore slump in year two, and Powers-Johnson focused on getting leaner this offseason to accomplish that goal.
“I’ve hammered down a routine. I’ve lost 10 to 15 pounds,” the Oregon product replied during the Raiders’ OTAs June 4 when asked where he’s gotten better this offseason. “Faster, stronger, you get a lot better at technique. I got to throw a lot of that on the coaches. They’ve been absolutely amazing, as I said. So, getting a real offseason at center is huge.
“I mean, you kind of go back to my college years, I never really had a real offseason at center. I was always playing five or six different positions, so being able to really hone in on one has been awesome. So, I think I’m going to make a great jump and give it the best I got and have some fun with it.”
Last season, the 2024 second-round pick played at 328 pounds, according to his roster weight and weigh-in at the NFL Combine. So, he’s likely floating around the 315-pound mark, which should help him move a little easier in Chip Kelly’s offense.
Granted, Powers-Johnson also mentioned he has a burger named after him at Bar Code Burgers in Las Vegas. The Big Jax Burger features a six-ounce patty with Gouda mac and cheese bites, bacon and an onion ring. It sounds like the center has a go-to cheat meal.
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- Who challenges Jakobi Meyers?: “[Tre] Tucker (24 years old) showed improvement in his second season (getting 34 targets his rookie year to 81 in 2024 and hauling in 19 passes in Year 1 to 47 in Year 2), but he’d need to make a quantum leap in Year 3 to get WR1 considerations,” Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria wrote.
- Which UDFAs can make the roster?: Diving into a few of the undrafted free agents and making some regular season predictions in this week’s mailbag column.
- Powers-Johnson breakout candidtate: “He started in 14 games, splitting time between left and right,” Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante wrote. “The Raiders traded for Geno Smith and drafted Ashton Jeanty, which should put more eyes on their offense. If Powers-Johnson stays at one position all year, he could leap to a better unit in 2025.”
- Darien Porter on-track to start: “Based on the work he got in OTAs — he’s been working with the first team opposite Eric Stokes — Porter is either on the fast track to a major role or the Raiders are throwing as much as possible at him to help expedite his development,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincient Bonsignore wrote. “Either way, the length, speed and athleticism have captured everyone’s attention.”