The Las Vegas Raiders looked to have a clean bill of health heading into Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Even running back Ashton Jeanty returned to practice despite suffering a sprained ankle before the final preseason game.
However, reporters noticed that star tight end Brock Bowers wasn’t at Wednesday’s practice. It was then quickly reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Bowers is actually banged up.
“Raiders All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim Tuesday in Dallas with Dr. Daniel Cooper and now is expected to miss ‘a game or two’, league sources told (Ian Rapoport) and me. Bowers got banged up ‘a little in camp’ and the injury was diagnosed last week and surgery scheduled,” Schefter wrote on X.
To put it simply, this is absolutely brutal for the Raiders. Bowers wasn’t very involved in the preseason, but he was dominant in training camp. There were even predictions that he could break records or win Offensive Player of the Year this season. It looks like he’s 100% out for the opener against the Dolphins, but the Raiders have to hope that’s the only game. If not, the passing offense is in serious trouble. It’s time for Michael Mayer to step up.
What This Means for Raiders
Not having Bowers is certainly a problem for the Raiders. He’s their best offensive player. The Raiders’ wide receiver was considered one of the weakest in the NFL, but they could stomach that knowing they had arguably the best receiving tight end in the league.
The Raiders’ passing offense is in big trouble for the opener and possibly Week 2. Luckily, the Dolphins are rebuilding and have a weak roster. Las Vegas can still beat them without Bowers. Beating the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 will be a much tougher task.
Even if he’s able to return by Week 2, it remains to be seen how effective he’ll be coming off of surgery. Tight end was supposed to be the Raiders’ biggest strength, according to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden.
“Brock Bowers continues to show why he is one of the best players at his position,” McFadden wrote. “He has constantly made plays throughout training camp. And no matter who is at quarterback, he will be a security blanket in the passing game. But Michael Mayer has a chance to make the room even stronger. Mayer has had a strong camp, and the Raiders will rely on him quite a bit. On top of that, his blocking skills stand out on tape.”
Raiders Have to Be Happy Fernando Mendoza Isn’t Starting
The only silver lining is that the Raiders aren’t starting rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza in Week 1. It would be a problem to have him play his first games without a dependable pass catcher.
Kirk Cousins is going to have a tough task ahead, but he’s a veteran and should be fine. Mednoza would’ve have a much harder time not having a good security blanket like Bowers to throw to.
Brutal Injury Update on Brock Bowers Leaks Before Week 1: Report