Ahead of the Week 1 clash with the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ biggest concern was the status of star running back Ashton Jeanty, who has been dealing with an ankle injury.
Unfortunately, a bigger issue has come to light for the storied NFL franchise, with superstar tight end Brock Bowers expected to miss the season opener and potentially Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road at SoFi Stadium.
Michael Mayer to Have Expanded Role in Brock Bowers’ Absence
With Bowers on the mend for potentially two weeks or more, the Raiders will turn to veteran tight end Michael Mayer to pick up the slack, as he’s expected to have an expanded role, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Raiders tight end Michael Mayer already was going to be a part of the team’s attack, and his role now is expected to grow without Brock Bowers,” Schefter wrote on his X account.
In the three years he’s played for the Raiders, Mayer has had a limited role, which took a major hit when the team brought in Bowers, who quickly became one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
However, Mayer can be a formidable force on the field when getting the targets, which he’ll certainly get now with Bowers on the shelf.
Over the course of three seasons in Las Vegas, Mayer has caught 83 passes for 788 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
It’ll be interesting to see how much he’s involved in new head coach Klint Kubiak’s first game and whether the Notre Dame can help tilt the scales against the Dolphins in Week 1.
Brock Bowers Confident He’ll Return Sooner Rather Than Later
Obviously, losing Bowers for potentially a couple of games to start the season is not the way Kubiak wants to begin his stint with the Raiders.
Bowers is without a doubt the biggest receiving threat on the field for the Raiders, and the superstar tight end watching from the sideline is a big blow for Las Vegas, which is looking to get off to a quick start to the 2026 NFL season with a win against the visiting Dolphins.
According to Schefter, Bowers is confident he’ll be back on the field for Las Vegas sooner rather than later.
“It sounds like Bowers is reasonably confident that he can be back in short order here,” Schefter said. “Maybe a game or two.”
One aspect of Bowers’ absence that might actually be a positive for the Raiders is that it will require others in the passing game to step up and prove their worth right out of the gate against what could be a vulnerable Miami defense.
Kubiak will turn to Mayer at tight end, but it’ll be interesting to see whether they’ll get a big game from wide receivers like Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech and rookie Malik Benson.
The pressure is on the Raiders immediately, making for a compelling matchup against the Dolphins on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Raiders’ Michael Mayer Set for Major Role Change Without Brock Bowers