There wasn’t a ton of effectiveness on the Las Vegas Raiders offense last season, but one player that made his impact known on day one was the franchise’s 2024 first-round draft pick, tight end Brock Bowers.
Bowers broke several franchise and NFL records in his first season as a Raider. Active in a full 17 games, the new tight end in Las Vegas recorded 112 receptions and went for 1,194 receiving yards, scoring five touchdowns and bringing in 61 first downs. If that isn’t the type of season to get the Raider Nation excited for the future, what more could be done?
The franchise did bring in and extend quarterback Geno Smith to solidify the quarterback position as well as give Bowers a strong candidate to be throwing the to consistently. In fact, last season Bowers saw a ton of success, regardless of who the quarterback was.
What really stood out about Bowers’ game was how he performed away from the home faithful in Las Vegas. On the road last season, Bowers earned 71 of his 112 receptions, hauled in 738 receiving yards, and scored four touchdowns. It’s one thing to perform at home, but for a rookie to perform in hostile territory, the Raiders got a good one in Bowers.
The six foot four inch tight end out of Georgia gave the Raiders front office something to build around. The addition of head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek should also help the franchise move in the right direction, and hopefully continue to build around Bowers.
Believe it or not, Bowers saw less production at home, as he was only able to score one touchdown in front of the Raider Nation at Allegiant Stadium. In addition to the one touchdown, Bowers also brought in 411 receiving yards in 41 receptions, averaging just under ten yards per reception.
Given that Bowers now has a stable quarterback in Smith, it’s likely that the home performance for the Raiders and Bowers will improve. If Bowers can carry over his success on the road into the new season as well as improve his success at home, the Raiders could have a franchise player to keep under contract.