LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Raiders may have something brewing at tight end that few teams in the NFL can match. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer aren’t simply two talented players who happen to play the same position. They’re becoming complementary weapons with the potential to develop into one of the most dangerous tight end combinations in football.
Their performance in the Raiders’ 35-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints provided the latest evidence. Bowers and Mayer combined for 13 receptions, 148 receiving yards and two touchdowns as Las Vegas improved to 3-0.
Bowers was the headliner, catching 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Mayer made the most of his opportunities with three receptions on three targets for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Together, they gave the Raiders exactly what they envisioned when they decided to build an offense capable of putting both tight ends on the field. Under head coach Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas may finally have the system capable of maximizing them.
Bowers Immediately Reminds Everyone What He Can Do
Bowers’ return gave the Raiders another dimension. He finished with 10 catches for 116 yards, averaging 11.6 yards per reception, and scored the touchdown that helped put New Orleans away in the fourth quarter.
With 6:28 remaining and Las Vegas holding a 28-27 advantage, Kirk Cousins found Bowers for a 4-yard touchdown, extending the Raiders’ lead to eight. That’s what makes Bowers different. Calling him simply a tight end doesn’t accurately describe how he can be used.
He can line up attached to the formation. He can move into the slot. Or can be sent in motion. Bowers constantly creates mismatches against linebackers and force defensive backs into uncomfortable assignments.
Put a linebacker on Bowers, and the Raiders can attack his speed advantage. Put a smaller defensive back on him, and Bowers can use his size and physicality. Against New Orleans, Las Vegas showed exactly how difficult those matchups can become.
Michael Mayer Made Every Opportunity Count
Bowers’ huge afternoon shouldn’t overshadow what Mayer accomplished. Mayer caught all three of his targets for 32 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.7 yards per reception.
His longest reception went for 18 yards. Most importantly, Mayer found the end zone. With 5:49 remaining in the second quarter, Cousins connected with Mayer for a 3-yard touchdown, giving Las Vegas a 13-6 advantage. Bowers eventually scored the Raiders’ final touchdown. Think about that. Two tight ends. Two touchdown receptions.
Two completely different weapons for Cousins to utilize. Mayer doesn’t need 10 targets every Sunday to be valuable. If defenses begin devoting additional resources toward Bowers, Mayer can punish them for forgetting he’s on the field. That’s where this combination becomes dangerous.
12 Personnel Could Become the Raiders’ Calling Card
The combination becomes especially intriguing when the Raiders use 12 personnel one running back and two tight ends. With Bowers and Mayer on the field simultaneously, defenses can’t easily determine what Las Vegas intends to do based solely on personnel.
The Raiders can run. They can use play-action. They can move Bowers into the slot. Or they can release both tight ends into routes and force a defense to determine who handles two big receiving threats working different areas of the field.
That puts tremendous stress on defensive personnel. Use heavier linebackers and Bowers can become a matchup problem. Go smaller with defensive backs and Mayer can help the Raiders become more physical in the running game. Kubiak can change the play without changing the personnel. That’s an enormous advantage.
The Raiders Have Something Rare
The NFL has plenty of talented tight ends. Having two legitimate starting-caliber tight ends who can impact the same game is much more difficult. That’s why Bowers and Mayer have an opportunity to become special. Bowers has the ceiling to become one of football’s premier receiving weapons at the position.
Mayer doesn’t need to duplicate what Bowers does. He needs to complement him. That’s precisely what happened against New Orleans. Bowers delivered the monster statistical performance.
Mayer maximized his opportunities. Both scored touchdowns. The Raiders walked out of New Orleans with a victory and a 3-0 record. As Bowers gets healthier and Kubiak continues developing ways to feature both players, the conversation surrounding this tandem could change quickly.
It won’t simply be about whether Las Vegas has a good tight end room. The question could eventually become: Do the Raiders have the best tight end duo in football?
Three Raiders to Watch as Las Vegas Looks to Start 3-0 Against Saints
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
