Raiders recent OL shuffling makes Pete Carroll look even more foolish

Injuries have further derailed a struggling Las Vegas Raiders offensive line this season. First it was franchise left tackle Kolton Miller who went down with a potentially season-ending setback. More recently, sophomore guard Jackson Powers-Johnson is also in danger of missing the remainder of the season.

Head coach Pete Carroll decided to shuffle the offensive line following Powers-Johnson's loss. Starting center Jordan Meredith moved to right guard to account for Powers-Johnson's absence, and Will Putnam entered the lineup at center off the bench. That combination failed miserably, leading to disastrous results versus the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile veteran guard Alex Cappa was left on the bench. Cappa could have simply replaced Powers-Johnson at right guard with Meredith sticking at his most familiar center position. But no, Coach Carroll preferred to make Meredith switch positions. It makes Carroll look especially foolish.

Carroll tried selling the fanbase on a position battle between Powers-Johnson and Cappa throughout training camp and even the early portion of the season. Now, the offensive line has further fallen apart without Powers-Johnson in the lineup, and the veteran Cappa, who Carroll signed off on acquiring, is being left on the bench in favor of sophomore UDFAs like Putnam who don't even look like they belong.

Powers-Johnson is the Raiders' second-best lineman. To think Cappa was ever involved in a legitimate position battle with him is foolish. It looks even more ridiculous now that the Raiders are willing to do everything within reason to keep Cappa on the bench.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders recent OL shuffling makes Pete Carroll look even more foolish