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New Las Vegas Raiders running back Lynn Bowden Jr. found himself in the headlines last week when his Grandmother’s home in Youngstown, Ohio was raided by the authorities while he was present. Though he was briefly detained, he was never arrested, nor was he charged with any crime. It appears an innocent trip to visit family with his son caused some unnecessary drama for the incoming rookie.
Though there’s no evidence that Bowden isn’t a high-character player, some have thought it pertinent to question his commitment to football. Many Raiders players have been seen practicing together in a Las Vegas park because of offseason workouts getting canceled. Bowden has yet to show up among the players and one fan called him for it. However, the running back wasn’t having any of it.
Raider fans can be an aggressive bunch, to say the least, and Twitter is filled with trolls trying to get a rise out of players.
Bowden Has Made His Way to Vegas
Despite someone on Twitter suggesting Bowden doesn’t have a great work ethic, it appears the rookie has made his way to Sin City based on his Instagram story.
The caption says “HOME,” so it looks like he might be there to stay. Nothing has been confirmed yet but it wouldn’t be surprising if he was able to join his new teammates at practice.
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Bowden Embracing ‘Joker’ Nickname
Bowden will be a very interesting player for the Raiders to have. He’s got experience out wide, playing running back and quarterback. He’s going to give Jon Gruden a ton of room to be creative. General manager Mike Mayock previously explained what Bowden’s role on the offense is going to be.
“Lynn Bowden we announced as a running back,” said Mayock during a conference call after the draft. “Ultimately he’ll probably be what we call a ‘Joker’ which I love in Jon’s offense. Somebody that’s able to do multiple jobs. But day one he’s going to come in and be a running back.”
Though it was a small tidbit from Mayock, Bowden is a big fan of the “Joker” role. In fact, it appears he’s adopted it as his nickname. He’s been signing Raiders merchandise with the nickname.
It’s interesting that he’s embraced the Joker role as he’s not the only player on the team that Gruden has used the name for. Tight end Derek Carrier, who’s still with the team, has also been called the Joker by Gruden. That said, the role fits Bowden better as he truly should be all over the field. If the Raiders can figure out how to use him properly, he could have a major impact on the offense. It’s hard to know exactly what the team will be having him do week to week but he’s a playmaker. He probably won’t see as many targets as Henry Ruggs or get as many carries as Josh Jacobs, but he should get chances to make plays all over the field.
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