Much of the attention is on Brock Bowers. And for good reason.
Dubbed as a “football robot from heaven” by head coach Klint Kubiak, the Las Vegas Raiders tight end reached elite status after a stellar initial season in the NFL where Bowers set a rookie record with 112 receptions (for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns). The Georgia product’s second year was dwindled by a knee injury by the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft hauled in 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns this past season.
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The 6-foot-4 and 235-pound Napa native is set to be a centerpiece of Kubiak’s offense and it’s no surprise to hear the play caller and head man speak highly of the elite tight end he’ll have at his disposal.
“He’s kind of a football robot, in a good way,” Kubiak said of Bowers. “He’s a football robot from heaven. He’s a Cadillac out there. We’ve got to get the most out of Brock. Wherever he goes, he’s been successful in college and high school. Whoever has coached him, so I can’t say enough great things about him, love his work ethic. He’s a standard bearer.”
Bowers isn’t the lone highly-drafted tight end on the Raiders’ roster, however. There’s also Michael Mayer, whom Las Vegas selected in the second round (35th overall) of the 2023 draft.
Kubiak, who relies on multi-tight end sets in 12 or 13 personnel, has his “joker” tight end in Bowers and the traditional “Y” in-line tight end in Mayer. And if the Raiders new play caller and head man lives up to his billing, not only will Bowers thrive, but don’t be surprised if Mayer does, too.
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By The Numbers
Michael Mayer, Tight End
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2025: 13 games (12 starts), 50 targets, 35 receptions, 328 yards, 1 touchdown
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Career: (2023-25) 38 games (32 starts), 122 targets, 83 receptions, 788 yards, 3 touchdowns
At 6-foot-4 and 256 pounds, Mayer is the bulkier of the Raiders’ top-two at the tight end position. Bowers is plenty big himself, but on the light side, and that allows him to be a moveable piece all over the formation. Kubiak can deploy him as a perimeter, slot, or in-line receiving option while Mayer is the classic in-line tight end who has the traditional grit and size to as a blocker.
Mayer has the mental and physical makeup to be an anchor on wide-zone or power runs that are slated to be staples of Kubiak’s Raiders’ offense. The outside and wide zone rushing attack is designed to stretch defenses horizontally and Mayer provides the tough blocking capability and movement skills to not only seal the edge, but detach and move up to the second level to latch onto linebackers or defensive backs. The Notre Dame product also showcases the power to jolt on power-based runs giving Kubiak a reliable in-line option from the tight end spot.
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But underestimating Mayer’s capabilities as a route runner and receiver — especially as a short and intermediate option — will cost defenses.
In his three seasons in the league, Mayer has prove to be a difficult matchup for linebackers and defensive backs alike. With his size, he appears to be more of a plodding type but he gets in and out of breaks fluidly and has more speed than advertised. And he also has the soft hands to be a reliable pass-catching option. All of which can make Mayer a productive option in play action and on third downs to move the chains. A defender even momentarily hesitating means Mayer getting open for a clutch catch, as 45 of the 83-career receptions by the tight end created first downs.
Bowers is no slouch as a blocker, either, and that’s what makes the presence of both him and Mayer a boon for Kubiak. They are complementary pieces to each other and won’t be in the realm of stealing snaps from the other.
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Bowers is slated move all round the formation from slot, out wide, in the backfield, and as an in-line tight end. Mayer is likely to be the primary in-line option with backfield flexibility and it’s that duality of the top two tight ends that’ll be ample receiving targets for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins (or whomever assumes the mantle of starting quarterback).
Availability very much remains key for Mayer and Bowers, though.
Of the 51 games in his first three season in the NFL, Mayer has played in 38 games (32 starts). In Bowers’ case, of the 34 games in his first years in the league, he has played in 29 games (24 starts). Both being available for a 17-game regular season slate (or most of it) is key to Kubiak’s plans.
There’s future implications for Mayer, too. The 2026 season represents his contract year as the four-year rookie pact he inked after being drafted by the Raiders expires after this season. And participating and producing over a full-season slate goes a long way into getting another deal — from the Raiders or one of the other 31 teams in the league in free agency.
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