Raiders report: Offensive linemen adjust to coaching changes

Rookies often learn quickly about the business side of the NFL when teammates and even coaches are brought in and shipped out during the season.

Raiders offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson had plenty of lessons on that aspect of football from his days as a collegiate star at Oregon, so he was prepared for the bye week move to fire his offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

“I had three different offensive line coaches, two offensive coordinators and two head coaches in three years at Oregon,” he said Wednesday after the Raiders returned to practice. “This isn’t really new to me. At least you get a call from the coach when they leave in the NFL. In college, they just peace on out of there.”

Powers-Johnson, who will remain at center for Sunday’s game at Miami as starter Andre James deals with an ankle injury, said it was still tough to hear that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and offensive line coach James Cregg were fired.

“They were great guys that came to work every day and gave it 110 percent,” he said. ‘Sometimes the organization has to go in a different direction, but that’s a decision for someone way above my pay grade, and I’m really excited about the new guys, too.”

That includes new coordinator Scott Turner, whose father, Norv, was hired as an adviser. Powers-Johnson pointed out that Norv Turner played at Oregon and began his coaching career there.

The rookie also has feelings about new offensive line coach Joe Philbin.

‘Coach Philbin, he’s awesome,” Powers-Johnson said. “I grew up a fan of his. My dad was a Dolphins fan, so when he was on “Hard Knocks,” we kind of got to watch him.

“He has his way of throwing jokes here and there. And he says really big words, and I always try to write them down and throw them back at him. The word right now is ‘pontificating,’ and I’m trying to throw it back at him. But it’s fun. He might be older, but he has a young heart.”

Fellow offensive lineman Jordan Meredith wasn’t about to pontificate about the staff changes.

“To me, my job is to show up and perform and do my job no matter who is coaching me,” he said. “Ton of respect for coach Cregg and same for coach Philbin. I’m just going to keep moving forward and give it everything I’ve got these next eight weeks.”

The midseason change doesn’t give Philbin, who was already on the staff, the chance to make sweeping changes.

“I think it’s the basics.” Meredith said. “Probably some tweaks to a technique here and there and maybe some different play-calling. But for the most part, the overall premise of it all will probably stay primarily the same.”

Coach Antonio Pierce said he hopes to see improvement in technique and fundamentals to a line that has been partly responsible for an anemic run game this season. He believes Philbin’s experience can help generate more production.

“Joe Philbin has been around this game a long time, coached some really good offensive lines,” Pierce said.

Starting over

Quarterback Desmond Ridder saw his first game action for the Raiders in Week 9 at Cincinnati less than two weeks after signing with the organization.

He was lauded by coaches and teammates for cramming for several days to learn the playbook.

Then Getsy got fired.

But Ridder doesn’t think that means he has to start over.

“It’s not like we’re reinventing the wheel,” he said. “That would be not only a struggle for the quarterbacks but for everyone to learn a completely new offense.”

Injury report

Pierce said the bye week was beneficial for several players to recover from nagging injuries.

“The bye week helped, I’ll just say that,” said Pierce, particularly citing an offensive line that was down to five healthy players against the Bengals.

James was among four players who missed Wednesday’s practice. Tight end Harrison Bryant, guard Cody Whitehair and cornerback Nate Hobbs have ankle injuries. Hobbs was spotted in a walking boot.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.