The Raiders are really excited about Michael Mayer going into Year 2. It might not seem like so after they used the No. 13 pick on Brock Bowers, but the two could not be more different in terms of their playstyle.
Mayer is a throwback tight end whose game best resembles a young Jason Witten. Unfortunately, Mayer struggled as a blocker during his rookie season, which limited his overall impact. That won’t be the case in Year 2, as Mayer has made some significant strides in that area.
In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he revealed that Mayer is up to 265 pounds, which is 16 pounds heavier than he weighed in during the NFL Combine. Here is a snippet of what Reed had to say about the former Notre Dame star:
Michael Mayer, a second-round pick in 2023, made substantial growth as a blocker last season, is bigger than Bowers at 6-4, 265 pounds and is a talented receiver in his own right. He’s not as explosive as Bowers, but he also can line up inline, outside and in the slot.
The Raiders will frequently use 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers) to get Bowers and Mayer on the field together, but that obviously won’t always be the case. If Bowers doesn’t develop quickly as a blocker, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for Mayer to see more snaps.
It remains to be seen if the added weight will slow down Mayer, but the last line by Reed is interesting. He believes there is still a chance that Mayer is the “primary” tight end for most of the season as he functions better in-line and on obvious run downs. Bowers will earn more targets, but it could be Mayer who is on the field more often.
No team in the NFL has a tight end room that is this dynamic or deep, and it’ll be fascinating to see how it all fits together in Luke Getsy’s offense. But going into Year 2, Mayer is primed for a breakout season, even with Brock Bowers on the roster.
