The Las Vegas Raiders kicked off Week 1 with a win over the New England Patriots, but the victory came with some concern after Brock Bowers went down with a knee injury following a strong showing.
On September 13, ESPN’s Ryan McFadden reported that Bowers is questionable for Monday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, Raiders coach Pete Carroll said he expects the team’s top pass catcher to be available.
If Bowers is limited, quarterback Geno Smith could lean more on Michael Mayer. Bowers has expressed confidence in his teammate, saying Mayer is capable of stepping up and carrying the load if needed.
“He’s a man,” Bowers told reporters on September 13. “He went out there [against the Patriots] and played the way he always plays. He’s a baller, and when he gets the ball, he does great things with it. It’s good to see.”
Raiders Are Blessed to Have Tight End Depth
While potentially having Bowers in a limited role, there is not a significant drop-off going from Bowers to Mayer. Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly praised Mayer on September 12, noting that if Brock Bowers is sidelined or is on a restricted play count, the Silver and Black are prepared to rely on him.
“I’ve been a huge Mike fan since I got here, and Pete [Carroll is] right,” Kelly said on September 12 while speaking to the media. “Not many people have the luxury of two talented players like that. “I’ll throw Ian in there too—he played 20 snaps himself. Having three tight ends who can play and have proven themselves in the NFL is a big deal.
“That depth gets tested. We lost Brock for a bit at the end of the third and into the fourth, and I thought Mike did an outstanding job—catching the ball underneath, gaining yards after the catch, and blocking at the point of attack really well.”
Brock Bowers Provides Injury Update
While speaking to reporters on September 13, Bowers was also asked whether his knee is improving heading into the final stretch before the game against Los Angeles on Monday Night Football.
“It’s hard to say,” Bowers said. “I’m going to keep working at it and see how I feel the rest of the day, tomorrow, and the next day ultimately. So, we’ll see.”
Moreover, if Bowers does play against the Chargers, he will need to wear a knee brace, and the Raiders didn’t hide his true feelings on needing to wear that.
“It’s not ideal,” Bowers added. “Rather not have to wear it. But whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. If it comes down to me playing or not, I’ll wear it.”
It will be interesting to see what happens with Bowers, but all signs point to him playing; whether it’s in a limited role or not remains to be seen.
Raiders’ Brock Bowers Issues Bold Message to Michael Mayer