Raiders Avoid Falcons’ Mistake by Giving Andre James a ‘Heads Up’ Before Picking Jackson Powers-Johnson in the Draft

After two tough seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders are hungry to return to the playoffs. Thus, one of their big moves was drafting Oregon’s star offensive lineman, Jackson Powers-Johnson, in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, this time, they seem to have learned from the Atlanta Falcons’ mistakes by letting their current center, Andre James, know about the pick beforehand.

The Raiders’ current starting center, Andre James, is a free agent, and they don’t have much backup at his position. Luckily, they drafted the versatile Jackson Powers-Johnson. While some thought he might compete for James’ starting position, the Raiders showed respect for their veteran by giving him a heads-up before the draft.

Raiders inform Andre James before draft decision

The Raiders made a smart move by drafting college center Jackson Powers-Johnson with the 44th pick. But what makes this even smarter is that they handled the situation thoughtfully. Per an X post, “Before the #Raiders selected Jackson Powers-Johnson, who played center in college, at No. 44, they contacted current center Andre James to let him know — and to tell him that James was their center.” It’s truly “a nice touch by LV.”

Draft experts expected Powers-Johnson to play center, which could have seemed like a direct challenge to James. However, the Raiders announced  Powers-Johnson as a guard and were upfront with James about his position. This proactive communication shows they aren’t ready to repeat the Falcons’ awkward situation where they drafted a new quarterback without telling their current starter, Kirk Cousins.

Now Raiders’ draft pick might get a warm welcome

The Atlanta Falcons shocked everyone by drafting quarterback Michael Penix with their No.8 pick. They went with the Huskies QB while they still had the long-term contract of Kirk Cousins. Cousins himself was surprised by the move as he only found out about the draft pick when the Falcons called him as they were about to make their selection. Cousins’ agent also recently expressed frustration, saying the Falcons should have focused on strengthening the team for the upcoming season instead of drafting a potential replacement before Cousins even played a game.

Learning from this chaotic situation, the Las Vegas Raiders took a much more considerate approach.  They informed their current center, Andre James, about their plans to draft Jackson Powers-Johnson. This open communication avoids the surprise and tension that plagued the Falcons, allowing the Raiders’ roster to welcome their new player with warmth and support.