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The Las Vegas Raiders are going to be without their top pass-catching weapon to open the 2026 NFL season.
Brock Bowers, the team’s star tight end, underwent a meniscus trim Tuesday, Sept. 9, and will cause him to miss “a game or two,” per multiple reports.
Bowers was banged up “a little in camp” before being diagnosed with the injury last week. The Raiders have not yet commented on his injury, and it’s unclear when head coach Klint Kubiak will do so.
Bowers is expected to be the Raiders’ No. 1 pass-catching target when healthy in 2026. The 2024 first-round pick generated 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2025 NFL season while playing in 12 games and making just eight starts because of a PCL injury and bone bruise in his left knee.
Bowers will be out for “a game or two,” per multiple reports. That will rule him out for the Raiders’ Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins but could put him on track to return for their Week 2 clash with the Los Angeles Chargers, if all goes well.
If Bowers needs extra time to heal, the next target would be a Week 3 return against the New Orleans Saints. Barring setbacks, the timeline suggests he should be on the field for that contest.
No, Bowers is not expected to play in Week 1 because of his injury. The Raiders’ official injury report will confirm his availability – or lack thereof – no later than Friday, Sept. 11, but the team will likely provide an update about his status before then.
Fourth-year veteran Michael Mayer is Bowers’ backup and is expected to get the bulk of the playing time at tight end as long as Bowers remains sidelined.
Mayer, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has posted 83 career catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns across 38 games (32 starts). He had a career-best 35 catches for 328 yards in 2025, a season during which he also served as an injury fill-in for Bowers.
The Raiders have just three tight ends on their 53-man roster. Below is a look at the pecking order within the unit:
- Brock Bowers (injured)
- Michael Mayer
- Ian Thomas
Thomas is a ninth-year veteran who spent the 2025 season with the Raiders. The 6-3, 253-pound tight end is more of a blocker, as he has averaged just 19.7 catches per 17 games played across his career.
The Raiders also have Chris Myarick and Patrick Gurd on the practice squad. Either could be called up to provide additional depth with Bowers sidelined.