Brock Bowers’ significant impact on football and the Las Vegas Raiders‘ offensive strategy will be evident throughout the season, bolstered by the confidence of an offense under Chip Kelly. The accolades surely do not write themselves, as Bowers likely wears the crown for the best rookie season for a tight end in NFL history. The accomplishments continue for the star player of an offense striving for a dramatic turnaround in 2025.025. The frosting on the cake for the sophomore tight end is what Bowers accomplished last year in one of the worst offensive schemes in the NFL.
How it all came together for the Raiders…
Looking back to the 2024 NFL draft, Bowers’ selection garnered significant attention despite his impressive performance, which could have positioned him as the best tight end in the league’s history. The simple reason for that was the Raiders already had a rookie tight end in Michael Mayer from the 2023 NFL draft, who arguably could have been a first-rounder and barely slid to the second. Mayer was the prototypical pass-catching and excellent-blocking tight end the Raiders needed following the departure of Darren Waller. However, coaching instability and limited opportunities behind players like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers plagued his rookie season.
By 2024, when Bowers joined the team, Mayer had vanished entirely. The combination of the two was supposed to be a big feature of a progressing offense. But for Mayer, on October 6th, things changed. He was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. That was due to personal reasons that surrounded his mental health.
The team and coaching staff provided the necessary support for Mayer to regain his form; however, he struggled to find his footing as the season drew to a close. During the offseason, rumors surfaced about a potential trade concerning the Dolphins’ vacant TE1 position following the Jonnu Smith trade. Despite this speculation, newly appointed general manager John Spytek seemed uninterested in moving the now third-year tight end.
What is the latest regarding Michael Mayer?
However, the indications emerging from camp are significantly altering the reasons behind Mayer’s lack of action. Whether it’s his exceptional run-blocking skills or his ability to catch the ball on a tightrope, Mayer has been on fire. Recent interviews reveal that Mayer has flourished in the offseason and believes he’s in the best physical and mental shape of his life. Geno Smith has even come to express how much he wants to get this tight end group involved and have the ability to confuse defenses as to where he might throw the ball next.
The current question is whether this duo can become the best that the league has ever seen. There’s no question we see the superstar talent Bowers has displayed and will hopefully continue to over his career. As for Mayer, we have yet to see the full extent of his capabilities since he was drafted out of Notre Dame. He embodies the classic prototype of a tight end, but he excels in multiple areas rather than just one. The combination of Bowers’ generational speed at the position with Mayer’s blocking skills and strong route running suggests that something unprecedented is developing in Vegas.
There have been elite tight end groups in the past. Do you recall the Gronk/Hernandez duo from the Patriots dynasty? Or how about Godert/Ertz in Philly? However, the Raiders might have their own duo that’ll create chaos.
Raiders OC Chip Kelly could have something special with this TE duo…
Now plug in Chip Kelly, who loves to exploit mismatches as well as space out his offenses. Kelly has already put out 12–13 personnel packages in camp. He’s rolling out both monsters on the field at the same time. Last year, this dream never came true. This forces opposing defenses into heavy sets, allowing both to burn mismatches with route running as well as opportunities to create large amounts of YAC.
This duo can create havoc in the run and pass. In the run, we can see Mayer set the edge, and Bowers motion to have defenses constantly move. In passing situations, Bowers can fly and stretch the field. Simultaneously, Mayer will demolish defensive zones by identifying vulnerable areas for significant gains. The potential exists for these two to dominate mismatches and consistently move the chains. Personally, I believe this year is when Bowers and Mayer will finally put it all together. That’s because of the coaching and scheme, which can cement them as a threat for years to come.
Related: 2025 AFC West Power Rankings—Quarterbacks
*Top Photo: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images