REPORT: Why Raiders' TE Brock Bowers Deserves to Win Rookie of the Year

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end keeps on breaking records. He broke two more in Week 17. In Week 18 he can potentially break another NFL record.

Dec 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; CBS Sports sideine reporter AJ Ross interviews Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders picked up their second straight victory in Week 17 over the New Orleans Saints. The Raiders offense had their best offensive showing in the win. From start to finish the offense was putting drives together and played with total confidence.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers led the way in the passing game with seven catches for 77 yards. Bowers broke two more records in Week 17. First, he broke Hall of Famer Mike Ditka's record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end. And then broke Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua's record for most receptions by a rookie.

In what has been a difficult season for the Silver and Black, Bowers has been the one light that has shined all season. Bowers will be in the running for NFL Rookie of the Year.

"I think it is the recognition, it is the honorable mention, it is the consideration, it is all of it to make it feel bigger than what it is," said NFL Network Analyst Akbar Gbajabiamila. "Another thing when it comes to Brock Bowers and what is impressive about what he has done, he is doing it with Aidan O'Connell, he did it with Gardner Minshew. There are no real supporting cast around him. Any defense can come in a go, what is one thing you are going to do when you face the Raiders, is take Brock Bowers out of it ... It is very easy to game plan around him, yet he is still going out there with a less adequate quarterback and less adequate support. To me that makes it that much bigger. But of course, it all gets swept under the rug because he is over there with the Raiders and the Raiders have not done well."

"I am very impressed," said Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe on First Take. "He has an outside chance of catching Zach Ertz's record. Which is an NFL record for tight ends, 116 catches in a single season. If I am the Raiders, we have nothing else to lose, I am going to feed him the ball. I am going to give him 20 targets can let him break the record. He is unbelievable. I am not surprised ... When you look at him, you know he has superstar potential written all over him. And he has done nothing but impress me."

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