The Raiders, with right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson on injured reserve, had a chance to get a look at rookie guard Caleb Rogers on Monday against the Cowboys.

In fact, they talked all week about that opportunity.

It never happened.

Rogers, a third-round pick out of Texas Tech, didn’t even dress for the Raiders’ 33-16 loss at Allegiant Stadium.

The team instead moved Jordan Meredith from center to right guard to replace Powers-Johnson. Will Putnam, a second-year lineman from Clemson, took Meredith’s spot.

The Raiders also promoted Atonio Mafi from the practice squad to the active roster for Monday’s game.

On the surface, making Rogers inactive felt like a missed opportunity.

The Raiders (2-8) aren’t making the playoffs. So they could use the rest of the season to give young players like Rogers playing time and then gauge their development.

Instead, the team appears stuck between a rock and a hard place. Coach Pete Carroll wants to maximize every game and try to build a winning culture. But the Raiders also have a big picture to think about.

Carroll, 74, remains focused on the present for now.

“We’re trying our best to win the games,” Carroll said.

The problem is the Raiders aren’t winning games or developing players.

Monday was their fifth loss by more than 10 points. They’ve now dropped four in a row for the second time this season.

Despite all that losing, Rogers and fellow rookie third-round pick Charles Grant can’t get on the field. Rookie wide receiver Jack Bech received one target in Monday’s loss, while fellow rookie wideout Dont’e Thornton Jr. got none. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in April’s draft, got six carries.

It’s not that Carroll is holding them back on purpose. He just doesn’t want to hand players opportunities until he feels they’re ready. Until then, he will roll with the players he thinks can help the Raiders win each week.

“We would love to see Caleb play,” Carroll said. “We would love to see Charles play. But it hasn’t happened that way. They’ve got to show in practice and show us that they’re ready.”

Carroll is trying to find the right formula to get the Raiders out of their current rut. He’s not trying to neglect the team’s younger players. But they also have to show him they can step up if called upon.

“We’re not ignoring it at all. We’re paying attention to it,” Carroll said. “But that’s just part of the rigors of the season, in a particularly difficult season. The questions were warranted, and I have no problem with that. But I don’t have answers for all of them.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal. com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X