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Brock Bowers

Raiders TE Michael Mayer Returns To Practice

November 12th, 2024 at 5:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Mayer will soon resume his sophomore campaign. The Raiders announced that the second-year tight end returned to practice today. With Mayer having been designated for return, the team will now have 21 days to activate the player to the active roster.

Mayer landed on the non-football injury list in early October due to personal reasons and has missed the Raiders’ last six games. Assuming the tight end doesn’t require an extended ramp-up period, he should be back for Sunday’s matchup with the Dolphins.

The 2023 second-round pick showed flashes as a rookie. In 14 games (12 starts), the Notre Dame product hauled in 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns. With Austin Hooper hitting free agency this past offseason, Mayer had an opportunity to solidify himself as the team’s long-term answer at the position. Unfortunately for the player, the Raiders used a first-round pick on Brock Bowers, meaning Mayer will be locked in as a backup for the foreseeable future.

Still, that doesn’t mean Mayer will go unused in Las Vegas. Before landing on NFI, the tight end was getting into more than 50 percent of his team’s offense snaps, and although Bowers has seen his snap count increase throughout the season, there’s a good chance the Raiders go back to a similar arrangement for the stretch run of the season. With Mayer out of the lineup, the Raiders have turned to the likes of Harrison Bryant and John Samuel Shenker to soak up leftover snaps at the position.

Raiders Sign Round 1 TE Brock Bowers; Antonio Pierce Denies Terrion Arnold Coin-Flip Rumor

May 9th, 2024 at 10:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders have their top 2024 draftee under contract. The team and tight end Brock Bowers came to terms on his four-year rookie contract Thursday, checking off a notable box off the team’s offseason checklist.

Bowers’ deal can run through 2028 via the fifth-year option, a decision that Raiders will be in line to make during the 2027 offseason. The Raiders chose Bowers 13th overall, selecting the Georgia tight end despite having traded up for Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer early in last year’s second round.

Closely linked to a Jayden Daniels trade-up effort, the Raiders were also interested in Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons selecting the Washington quarterback at No. 8 surprised most and led to a scenario in which the Raiders were shut out of the first-round QBs, as the Broncos stopped the six-passer run by drafting Bo Nix at No. 12. With the Raiders in need of a QB and lurking at No. 13, the Broncos did not view it as safe — based on their need — to trade down for a shot at grabbing Nix later.

As for the Raiders, they nabbed one of this draft’s top skill-position prospects in Bowers. An interesting storyline developed in the aftermath of Las Vegas adding this draft top tight end. Terrion Arnold, who went 24th to the Lions, said during an appearance on The Next Round (video link) Antonio Pierce informed him the Raiders determined their Bowers investment — a Bowers-or-Arnold decision, per Arnold — on a coin flip. Raiders assistant GM Champ Kelly did not confirm or deny that rumor, but Pierce (via ESPN’s Ryan Clark) did shoot down Arnold’s recount of the Raiders’ first-round decision. Pierce also denied speaking with Arnold during the draft.

Pierce said as soon as both J.J. McCarthy and Nix went off the board, the team agreed on Bowers as the selection. The team viewed a value gap between the Daniels-Caleb Williams–Drake Maye tier and the McCarthy-Penix-Nix trio, helping to explain why the Raiders stayed at No. 13 after Daniels went off the board.

The Raiders do figure to be linked to QBs in the 2025 draft class months ahead of that event, as Gardner Minshew sits as a clear bridge option. Although Pierce made no secret of the team’s QB need this offseason, the Raiders appear set to table that rather critical issue to 2025. A pre-draft report suggested Pierce was readier to trade up for a passer in Round 1 compared to GM Tom Telesco. It is not known how aggressive the Raiders were in their pursuit of a first-round arm, but they ended up standing down and will go into their offseason program with Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.

Pre-draft rumors suggested Bowers would not make it out of the top 10, and the Rams tried to trade up for the standout tight end. But the six-QB run helped Bowers tumble to No. 13. Bowers comes to Las Vegas after being the rare tight end to lead his team in receiving in each of his college seasons. Yardage-wise, Bowers went 882-942-714 at Georgia, becoming a central part of the Bulldogs’ two national championship wins as an underclassman. Bowers, who totaled 26 touchdown receptions in his college career, missed time last season due to ankle surgery.

Rams Had Interest In Brock Bowers; Jets Did Not Consider Drafting TE

April 26th, 2024 at 6:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the hours leading up to last night’s first round, the Rams were touted as a team looking to move up the order. An offensive weapon was believed to be a target, and more clarity has since emerged on that front.

Los Angeles contacted Atlanta about a trade-up to the No. 8 slot, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Had an agreement for that selection been worked out, she adds the Rams would have drafted tight end Brock Bowers. Likewise, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager notes the team’s draft plans were simplified once Bowers came off the board (video link).

The Georgia product fell out of the top 10 – something which came as something of a surprise – while quarterbacks and offensive linemen dominated the top of the order. In the end, Bowers went 13th overall to the Raiders. The Rams stayed in place at the No. 19 slot. That allowed them to select edge rusher Jared Verse, one of the few defenders who heard their names called on Day 1.

Bowers – who earned first-team All-American acclaim and twice won the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end – was long connected to a selection near the bottom of the top 10. Specifically, the Jets were reported to be a suitor, and general manager Joe Douglas‘ pre-draft remarks suggested New York would be interested. However, Connor Hughes of SNY reports the team never gave thought to selecting Bowers with the No. 11 pick.

After trading down one spot, the Jets ultimately selected offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. That move likely addressed a more pressing need, given the state of New York’s offensive line prior to Thursday night. Still, the team’s aversion to Bowers after being linked to him so closely illustrates the power of smokescreens this time of year. In the end, Bowers’ career will be defined in large part by his time with the Raiders, but his connections to the Rams are noteworthy as well.

Raiders Select TE Brock Bowers At No. 13

April 25th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The run on offensive players continues. The Raiders are out of options with respect to quarterbacks, so they have selected Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th pick. For the first time in NFL history, 13 straight picks have been used on players on one side of the ball.

Bowers racked up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. He played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors. Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner.

Considering his pass-catching ability and his position, Bowers was considered by most draft pundits to be an early first-round pick. There were some rumblings that he could land with the Jets with their first-round selection, but he ended up sliding to Las Vegas. Multiple pre-draft reports indicated a team would need to move into the top 10 to nab Bowers, but with six QBs going in the first 12 picks, the Raiders saw the standout SEC weapon fall to them.

Day 1 draft investments at the TE spot have generally not gone according to plan. Over the past 10 years, Kyle Pitts is the only one of the nine tight ends drafted in the first round to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. The Browns (David Njoku) are the only team to date to extend a homegrown player at the position during that span, although Pitts and 2023 Bills selection Dalton Kincaid are not yet eligible for a second contract.

Bowers should slide atop the Raiders depth chart. Michael Mayer is still around, and the team brought in Harrison Bryant as a veteran replacement for Austin Hooper. Considering Bowers’ offensive versatility, he could easily play alongside either of his two new teammates on the Raiders offense.

The Raiders were closely linked to Jayden Daniels throughout the pre-draft period, with Antonio Pierce — on Arizona State’s staff during Daniels’ time with the Pac-12 program — going so far as to bring up the Heisman winner with OC candidates. The Raiders contacted the Commanders — in a Hail Mary-type effort, given their draft proximity — about a trade. Washington never seemed close to moving the pick, leading to Raiders-Michael Penix Jr. connections. While some prominent mock drafts had Penix — a player previously uncertain to be chosen in the top half of Round 1 — going to Las Vegas at 13, Atlanta pulled off the stunner of the round by taking him eighth overall.

With the Vikings (J.J. McCarthy) and Broncos (Bo Nix) landing their passers, this left the Raiders without a chair. But a pre-draft report had indicated Pierce and GM Tom Telesco had differing views on a first-round trade-up maneuver, the latter’s outlook pointed to a belief Gardner Minshew could hold down the fort for at least a season. The Raiders gave Minshew a two-year, $25MM deal. He not only looks to have a clear path to the QB1 gig, but the Raiders are giving him a top-flight pass-catching prospect.

Draft Rumors: Williams, Bears, Fashanu, Latham, Bolts, Bowers, Seahawks, Murphy

April 25th, 2024 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pass rusher and wide receiver have been mentioned most often as the Bears‘ targets at No. 9 overall. Though, the player who will almost definitely be chosen at No. 1 (Caleb Williams) in a few hours seems to have Chicago’s D-line ranked outside the top two among his positional priorities here.

“I’d probably go Olu Fashanu because I know he’d put his life on the line for me, protecting me,” Williams said, via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith. “Then I’d go one of the top three wide receivers.”

A Penn State-developed tackle, Fashanu played high school football (at Gonzaga College HS in Washington D.C.) with Williams. That makes it unsurprising the 2022 Heisman winner would stump for his old teammate. The Bears are believed to have a tackle addition on their radar for No. 9, with GM Ryan Poles splitting his staff into pods debating the merits of taking a tackle, edge rusher or wide receiver with that pick. Chicago looks to have done more work on wideouts and pass rushers, being linked to adding a weapon — potentially Rome Odunze or tight end Brock Bowers — for Williams. The team has Braxton Jones and 2023 No. 10 overall pick Darnell Wright at tackle. Fashanu grades 15th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Hours away from Williams starting this draft, here is the latest:

Colts Interested In Trading Up For Top WR, TE Brock Bowers?

April 25th, 2024 at 2:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 25: The Colts may try to take a big swing in Round 1, with SI.com’s Albert Breer mentioning Indianapolis will probably attempt to make a move for one of the top three wideouts or Brock Bowers. Sitting at No. 15, the Colts may only need to move up a few spots to secure draft real estate good enough to nab Bowers or Rome Odunze. It will probably take a more substantial trade package for Indy to land Harrison or Malik Nabers.

The Bowers element here is interesting, as the Colts have seven tight ends on their offseason roster. Top option Jelani Woods arrived during Frank Reich‘s tenure, as did Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson. Bowers is viewed as this draft’s top tight end by a wide margin; the Georgia product may not make it out of the top 10, setting a potential target for the Colts if they are serious about moving up.

APRIL 24: Most of the trade-up reporting and speculation related to the upcoming draft has centered on quarterbacks, to no surprise. Teams not in need of a rookie passer could still be active in seeking a move up the board, though, and the Colts could be one of them.

Indianapolis is currently set to select 15th overall, but a trade could be in consideration. The Colts are viewed as being interested in a trade-up aimed at securing a receiver, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Likewise, ESPN’s Matt Miller reports the team has frequently been mentioned as a potential suitor for Texas wideout Xavier Worthy. Miller’s final mock draft sends the speedster to Indianapolis, albeit with no trade being involved. Owner Jim Irsay noted the team’s “great interest” in Marvin Harrison Jr. (via FOX59’s Mike Chappel), but he will no doubt be out of range.

Worthy earned plenty of acclaim by breaking the all-time 40-yard dash record at the NFL Combine, showcasing his ability as a vertical threat at the NFL level. The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr. in place for years to come atop the WR depth chart, having worked out a three-year deal this offseason which takes the place of his franchise tag. Worthy is also on the radar of the Dolphins, owners of the No. 21 selection.

Indianapolis will have plenty of non-QB options to consider on Day 1, of course, regardless of if the team moves up or down the board. General manager Chris Ballard spoke about the team’s situation during a pre-draft press conference, during which he noted all options are being considered. All teams provide smokescreens this time of year, but Ballard noted the Colts have a track record of moving both up and down the board.

“History, I just go off history,” Ballard said (via NFL.com). “And you know, the more picks you have, the better chance you have to hit. Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you more of a chance to hit. Look, we’ve moved up, we moved up for Jonathan Taylor. When we see one that’s in striking distance that we think we can go get, we’ll do it. But it’s got to work out. And then you’ve got to have… somebody that wants to make the trade.”

The Colts own seven total picks in the 2024 draft, one in each round. The team will thus have the capital required to move up the board slightly in round one, but the possibility of adding later selections could entice Ballard. This year’s class is known to be deep at the receiver spot, and plenty of notable options will be available on Friday and Saturday. Still, Indianapolis will be a team to watch with respect to wideout interest.

Latest On Jets’ First-Round Draft Targets

April 21st, 2024 at 4:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

With at least four quarterbacks expected to be drafted early in the first round of this week’s draft, the Jets are among the teams well-positioned to land a valuable prospect at another position. Set to select 10th overall, New York appears to have a shortlist of options.

[RELATED: Jets Aiming For Day 2 Or 3 QB Selection]

The Jets could stand to add a pass-catcher in the first round, and the team’s offensive tackle acquisitions (Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses) are likely short-term solutions. As a result, tight end Brock Bowers and some of the top offensive linemen slated to be available at No. 10 will be of interest to New York. Should one of the three highest-rated receivers fall to New York, however, a selection (or even small trade up the order) could be in play.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports the Jets could select one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze in the event one of them were to still be available when the team is on the clock. That would represent a surprise, especially if the Bears (set to select first overall but also ninth) eschewed the opportunity to add a receiver. To that point, Cimini adds New York could attempt to trade with Atlanta for the eighth selection and in doing so maneuver ahead of Chicago.

Aside from the receiver spot, though, Bowers could very well be a realistic Jets target. New York hosted the first-team All-American, and during a pre-draft press conference last week general manager Joe Douglas stated a willingness to spend Day 1 capital on a tight end. The Jets are currently considered Bowers’ floor as a result, but his selection earlier in the top 10 would lead the team in another direction.

Cimini notes Douglas and Co. are “interested” in the top offensive tackles available, which comes as no surprise. He names Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Washington’s Troy Fautanu as the top options on New York’s board. Alt – who for quite some time has been a very popular selection mocked to the Titans (No. 7) and is believed to be on the Chargers’ (No. 5) radar – is unlikely to be available when the Jets pick. As such, Fuaga and Fautanu will be names to watch closely as the team contemplates a potential selection between them and Bowers.

New York has frequently been linked to a tackle addition, and that position is seen as a strength of the 2024 class. A move down the board (which could help compensate for the team’s lack of a second-round pick) could also be in play, but having Bowers or a high-profile tackle on the board would likely make it difficult for Douglas to turn down the option of staying put. Regardless of which position the team lands on, the Jets’ offense is in position to receive a notable boost on Day 1.

Brock Bowers Books Bears, Chargers Visits; TE Not Expected To Fall Out Of Top 10?

April 19th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: During a Friday press conference, Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke highly of Bowers and added he views the “right” tight end prospect of being worth a Day 1 selection (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). If New York’s final draft board reflects that sentiment, the team could very well represent Bowers’ floor come draft night.

APRIL 17: Brock Bowers hovers as this draft’s clear-cut top tight end, as a gulf exists between the Georgia-developed prospect and the field this year. Although this draft has a few wide receivers that could go in front of Bowers, he might not last too much longer.

The teams interested in Bowers point to him not being available beyond No. 10, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. After the Jets hosted the standout pass catcher, Pauline adds he scheduled visits with the Bears and Chargers. Prospects have until today to go through official “30” visits with teams; Bowers met with the Bears on Tuesday and is Los Angeles-bound today.

The Bolts (No. 5) and Bears (No. 9) join the Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) as teams to have shown interest in Bowers during the pre-draft process. The Jets sent their tight ends coach (Ron Middleton) to Bowers’ delayed pro day last week. Bowers underwent surgery to address a high ankle sprain. He would deliver an instant upgrade to the Jets, who have certainly pushed their chips in for the 2024 season. With Gang Green signing Mike Williams, a tight end upgrade would complement the Williams-Garrett Wilson tandem. Of course, the team could also be interested in one of this class’ top three wideouts — should one be available at 10.

A Bears decision could determine the Jets’ move. They have met with Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. An Odunze-or-Bowers call could be on the table for Chicago at 9, Pauline adds. The Bears added ex-Shane Waldron pupil Gerald Everett to go with Cole Kmet this offseason. A Bowers pickup would crowd this depth chart, profiling as a best-player-available-type move for a team widely expected to draft Caleb Williams first overall. A WR move would stand to make more sense for Chicago, which lost Darnell Mooney and has trade pickup Keenan Allen going into his age-32 season. Allen is not signed beyond 2024.

The Titans also spent heavily to give their QB (Will Levis) a higher-end target, authorizing a monster guarantee to win the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes. Tennessee has not made a move at tight end this offseason. Chig Okonkwo totaled 528 receiving yards last year, though his per-catch average dropped from 14.1 as a rookie to 9.8. The Titans, however, have been closely linked to using their No. 7 slot to upgrade at left tackle — a dire need for the team.

Though the suddenly run-focused Chargers have also been tied to a tackle move, they can render this moot by choosing Bowers at 5. Los Angeles used Everett as its TE1 over the past two seasons, and the team added two free agents (Hayden Hurst, Will Dissly) this offseason. Bowers obviously brings a much higher pass-catching ceiling, racking up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-3 target played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors.

Georgia’s top aerial weapon throughout his college career, Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner. He profiles as an immediate upgrade at a position that is harder to find compared to wide receiver, and it will be interesting to see which team signs off on this investment.

Jets To Host TE Brock Bowers

April 15th, 2024 at 9:18am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets were among the teams on hand to view Brock Bowers‘ recent private workout. To little surprise, that will be followed by an in-person visit with the standout tight end.

Bowers will meet with the Jets on Monday, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports. The Georgia alum is widely seen as the top tight end prospect in the 2024 class, and he is among the best pass-catchers available. Plenty of Jets-Bowers connections have been made in the build-up to the draft, and New York (owner of the 10th selection) is certainly interested in adding offensive weapons at the top of the board.

The Jets have hosted wideout Rome Odunze on a ‘top-30‘ visit already, and the same will soon be true of Malik Nabers. Each of those prospects could be selected before New York is on the clock, with the top three WRs (Odunze, Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr.) expected to hear their names called within the top 10 picks. Bowers is similarly regarded as one of the best prospects in the class, but his position has led to a wide range of potential outcomes in terms of where he could wind up.

Notably, the Jets – a team which could stand to add help along the offensive line and has met with top tackle Joe Alt – could be open to a move down the board. Swapping out of the No. 10 selection would leave New York out of range for Alt and/or a few of the other members of a deep O-line class, but Bowers could remain an option depending on how far down the order the team would be moving. In any case, the latter will be expected to produce right away given his pedigree stemming from his time in college.

Bowers racked up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. He played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors. Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner.

As the Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia notes, though, Day 1 draft investments at the TE spot have generally not gone according to plan. Over the past 10 years, Kyle Pitts is the only one of the nine tight ends drafted in the first round to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. The Browns (David Njoku) are the only team to date to extend a homegrown player at the position during that span, although Pitts and 2023 Bills selection Dalton Kincaid are not yet eligible for a second contract.

In spite of that recent track record, Bowers will face high expectations upon arrival in the NFL. He could have a prominent role in the Jets’ offense in short order, but New York will have a number of other intriguing options to consider at No. 10 or a position lower on the board.

NFL Draft Rumors: Bowers, Giants, McKinstry

April 13th, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Two Georgia Bulldogs expected to be first-round picks later this month were unable to perform in their school’s pro day last month. Tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle Amarius Mims both hosted a private workout that saw a few teams in attendance, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Neither player really performed usual pro day activities, forgoing the 40-yard dash or any jumping or agility testing. Mims didn’t even weigh in. In reality, the day saw the two go through a few position drills with Bowers running routes and Mims attempting some line drills.

Both players had tightrope surgeries during the college season to repair high-ankle sprains. They should be able to heal in time for their rookie seasons, but the recovery has kept them from participating in pre-draft activities. It doesn’t appear that the work outs did much to affect either player’s draft stock.

Tight ends coaches for the Giants, Jets, and Broncos were reportedly on hand to watch Bowers, according to Breer and Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com. ESPN’s Matt Miller tells us that the Colts are reportedly very interested in Bowers, as well. One of his sources claims that Indianapolis would “run the card in” if Bowers is still available by the 15th pick of the draft.

Here are a few other rumors surrounding the 2024 NFL Draft:

  • One of the teams on hand to view Bowers, the Giants could be viewing the tight end as a backup plan. Many have pegged New York as a team that could potentially attempt to move up from their No. 6 overall pick to draft a quarterback in the top four picks. As we move closer to the decisive day, though, it’s looking less and less likely. According to Miller at ESPN, the Giants are expected to stay at sixth overall (a perfect place to find Bowers) and attempt to draft a passer with their No. 47 overall pick in the second round. At that point of the draft, they expect that options like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix may still be available. The team still claims to be committed to starting quarterback Daniel Jones, but the veteran’s inability to stay on the field has led New York to explore options to replace him, according to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.
  • Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, born Ga’Quincy, has had a busy spring full of pre-draft visits. Since earlier reported visits with the Jaguars, Buccaneers, Lions, and Packers, we’ve seen reported visits with four more teams. Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tells us that McKinstry visited the Titans on Tuesday, and Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report informs us of visits with the Eagles, Giants, and Falcons, as well. McKinstry and his teammate, Terrion Arnold, have been extremely popular with the several teams who view cornerback as a position of need in 2024. McKinstry’s recovery from surgery on a foot fracture continues to heal nicely as he stays on track to return in time for his rookie season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
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