Can Raiders Lean on Youth at Tight End?

The Las Vegas Raiders have two incredibly talented tight ends, but they are young. Will they be able to lean on them in 2024?

Las Vegas Raiders Tight End Michael Mayer / Darrell Craig Harris, Sparts Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders were impressed with tight end Michael Mayer’s rookie season in 2023. 

However, that did not stop them from selecting superstar tight end prospect Brock Bowers out of Georgia with the No. 13 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Pairing Bowers with Mayer gives the Raiders one of the league's most dynamic young tight end duos. 

The two should be a major fixture in the offense for years to come, but will they be ready to take on the workload they are expected to in 2024?

While Mayer and Bowers are both extraordinary talents and were excellent prospects coming out of college, they are still young, so it might be difficult to ask so much of them before they are ready. 

However, the Raiders also have plenty of receiving talent around them, including wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, who should be the top target-getters in the offense this season. 

Tight end will be an important position for this Raiders offense. Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy likes to run the football, so Mayer and Bowers must be ready to block. They both have massive frames and impressive strength, so that should be no problem. 

Mayer and Bowers share a unique skill set in that they both can win at all three levels of the field. Because of this, they will each see their fair share of different defensive looks. They will see speedy coverage linebackers over the middle of the field and dynamic safeties over the top. 

The Bulldogs used Bowers all over the field in his three years at Georgia, using him in-line, out wide, and even on end-arounds. Will he be able to replicate that production at the NFL level in his rookie season? Or will he be used more traditionally?

Mayer and Bowers should play fairly equal snaps this season, so it should help them that they can lean on each other, and one tight end does not have to take on too much that the other can’t pick up some of the other’s slack. 

Will the Raiders be able to lean on their young tight ends in 2024? The answer is yes, because their talent should outweigh their youth.

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