REPORT: How Much of a Weapon the Raiders Have in TE Brock Bowers

The Las Vegas Raiders selected one of the best tight ends in college football history in this year's NFL Draft. What should they expect from the talented pass catcher?

Apr 26, 2024; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers speaks to the media at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, NV. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders selected one of the best tight ends in college football history in this year’s NFL Draft when they selected tight end Brock Bowers. The selection of Bowers surprised many, even the Raiders, as they admitted that they did not expect Bowers to fall to them at No. 13 overall. It was a pleasant surprise for the Silver and Black as Bowers added offensive firepower to an offense that desperately needed it. 

In last year’s NFL Draft, the Raiders traded up in the second round to select arguably one of the best tight ends in college football in recent memory outside of Bowers. However, that was another general manager’s decision. While unexpected, Bowers being available when it came time for the Raiders to make their selection put new General Manager Tom Telesco in a position to improve on what was already a strength of the team, which is rarely a negative thing. 

The Raiders' offense struggled last season, mainly because of a flawed offensive roster, subpar coaching on the offensive side of the ball, and the fact that they were painfully predictable. The Raiders added respected Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy this offseason to help spice up the playcalling. They added starting talent to the offense in the draft and depth via free agency. The addition of Bowers to a group of talented pass-catchers gives the Raiders so many options it will be hard for opposing defenses to focus most or all of their attention on one pass-catcher.

NFL.com staff writer Adam Rank believes adding Bowers to the offense plays into what Coach Antonio Pierce and the Raiders do the best. Rank notes how often the Raiders used two tight end sets last season without Bowers and expects the Raiders to use the formation even more this upcoming season.

“Sure, they didn't need a tight end, having just grabbed Michael Mayer early in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, but Vegas ran more 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers) after Pierce took over the team,” Rank said.

“And honestly, Brock is more of an offensive weapon than a pure tight end. Per NFL Research, Bowers had the fifth-most receiving yards (2,538) and second-most receiving touchdowns (26) among ALL Power 5 players from 2021 through '23.”

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