The Raiders haven’t had much to write home about in 2024, but they have at least found a true weapon at tight end in Brock Bowers.
The No. 13 overall pick out of Georgia, Bowers caught a season-high 13 passes for 126 yards with a touchdown in Sunday’s 34-19 loss to Miami.
That gives him 70 receptions for 706 yards with three touchdowns in his rookie campaign so far.
Per the NFL, Bowers now has the most receiving yards ever by a tight end in his first 10 games. He is the second player after Odell Beckham Jr. to ever have at least 70 catches in his first 10 games. He’s only the second rookie TE to ever have multiple games with at least 10 receptions. And he’s the fourth rookie tight end to have at least five catches in eight games.
“We’re trying to do everything we can to feature our best player. He’s playing like that,” Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said after Sunday’s game. “He’s tough, he’s physical. He doesn’t want to come out of the game, staying in the run game. He’s doing everything we’re asking him to do as a rookie. We need more and more guys to make plays like him.”
For his part, Bowers noted that he’s getting more and more comfortable the more he plays.
“Everything feels like it’s slowing down every game,” Bowers said after Sunday’s game. “The pace of play, I keep getting used to it.”
At 2-8 in 2024, much of the Raiders’ future is murky. But whoever the club has piloting its offense in the future, Bowers will surely be a major aspect of the unit going forward.
