Dec 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) carries the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

How Brock Bowers Can Take the Next Step

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated May 24, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The football gods smiled up on the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason after a historic run on quarterbacks in the NFL Draft helped them land tight end Brock Bowers. The talented tight end was projected to go sooner than the No. 13 but luckily for Las Vegas, he did not.

Bowers' rookie season was one for the history books, as he broke records seemingly on a weekly basis. During a season in which most things went wrong for the Raiders, including have to start three quarterbacks and multiple running backs, Bowers was a bright spot for Las Vegas.

While it will be difficult for Bowers to top his rookie season, he can undoubtedly improve, as every player can, especially those entering only their second season in the National Football League. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll praised Bowers for a productive rookie season and offseason.

"Did you see the catch he made today when the ball got tipped and they called it and I waved it off. We had to go up top and they gave him a catch. The commissioner stepped in and gave him the catch on that one. He has shown already - he's only been here two weeks because he was graduating, finishing his coursework. Hats off to him for getting that done," Carroll said.

"From the moment he stepped on the field, he did everything you could possibly ask him, his study habits, his work habits, his focus on a regular basis. He's making the catches and the plays. Geno [Smith] already knows who's out there. He knows where 89 is, and he's found him a ton of times already. He just makes himself so available. It's like what you saw last year. On a team that was struggling, he still just continued to show really positive and good attributes, and he's doing it from this point forward. So, he's a big part of the offense, for sure. Chip [Kelly] knows he's out there too."

The upcoming season will be critical for Bowers as he tries to avoid a sophomore slump. While Bowers can likely add a few pounds, it is hard to find many things he did not do well his rookie season.

His biggest hurdle this upcoming season will be adjusting to how teams defend him and the new-look Raiders' offense.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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