Pete Carroll all but confirms he's playing mind games with recent Raiders second-round pick

There may be some method to the madness, but we are still trying to find it. When it comes to Pete Carroll rebuilding the Las Vegas Raiders on the fly, it starts and ends with being able to run the football. The Silver and Black used its No. 6 overall pick on Doak Walker winner Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State. They also dealt for Geno Smith in a deal with Seattle, long before extending Kolton Miller.

So we know that those three pieces are going to be focal points of the Raiders' offensive attack. Smith will be running point, often handing the ball off to Jeanty. All the while Miller will have to keep Smith upright and allow running lanes to stay open off tackle for Jeanty as one of the Raiders' bookends. So with all that in mind, what is Carroll doing moving Jackson Powers-Johnson around?

Levi Edwards reported that Powers-Johnson was back at practice on Tuesday, but was working with the first team at right guard. Powers-Johnson had been apparently working with the second team as somewhat of an antiquated motivational tactic. Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly know the guy must be a fulcrum along the offensive interior this season, but at what cost? His pride, mostly.

Powers-Johnson played 15 games for the Raiders last season, playing predominantly over at guard.

He was a second-round pick out of Oregon by John Spytek's predecessor Tom Telesco last spring.

Pete Carroll's motivational tactics are especially old school for Raiders

Let's make one thing clear. The Raiders always have been and always will be a bit different than the rest of the NFL. They are the league's rebel franchise after all. It is in their blood from the days of Al Davis running the show. At times, they can be cutting edge. In other instances, they can be behind the times. They will hit on an undrafted player, right after whiffing on a first-round player they reached on.

So what I am getting at is maybe toughening up Powers-Johnson could do a world of good for the Raiders up front. Anytime the Raiders have been any good, in my lifetime or well before that, they have great offensive linemen. Outside of Miller, where are the Rodney Hudsons, Donald Penns and Kelechi Osemeles up front for the Silver and Black? They are out there, possibly to be molded soon.

Simply put, if the Raiders want to get out of the cellar in the deep AFC West, then Powers-Johnson has to rise to the level of Miller internally, possibly beyond that. It is very hard to win in this league, in general. It is next to impossible if the offensive line is suspect at best. Having a great front-five does not guarantee NFL success, but a lack thereof could prove problematic in trying to close out games.

Either these Jedi mind tricks that Carroll is pulling will work out wonderfully, or he is so off his rocker.

More Las Vegas Raiders news and analysis: