Having had a solid season from a rookie tight end in Michael Mayer last season it came as a bit of a surprise that the Las Vegas Raiders decided to snag former Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
However, when you consider the type of player that Bowers is and the kind of impact he can have on an offense, this comes in more and more as a slam dunk for an offense looking for an identity.
#Raiders CB Nate Hobbs says Brock Bowers' speed can make the former Georgia star TE a matchup nightmare.
"I had no clue. Usually when I get on a tight end I could let off or jog a little bit. With him, you got to be locked in because he's different." pic.twitter.com/VVq8XUlhv0
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) July 29, 2024
With the Raiders moving forward with either Gardner Minsher or Aidan O’Connell at the quarterback spot this season, it was imperative to find a young playmaker to help boost the prowess of this offense. With studs on the outside in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, Bowers should be able to eat up the yardage all day in the middle of the field regardless of who is in at quarterback.
While Mayer is going to present some challenges for snaps, the Raiders should be inclined to get both their talented and young tight ends heavily involved in the offense. Bowers has the ability to play in the slot, off the line, wherever you want really, and should see lots of variance on where he gets the ball when the season comes around. Bowers should sit atop the tight end depth chart and find himself busy when the season rolls around.
Stat projection: 62 catches, 850 yards, 7 touchdowns
