Brock Bowers is already forcing the Raiders to think bigger.
The Las Vegas tight end landed at No. 3 on The Athletic’s Mike Jones’ poll of the NFL’s best players under 25, trailing only Detroit’s Penei Sewell and Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter. That alone says plenty about where Bowers stands around the league. Sewell and Carter will both age out of the list next year at 25, while Bowers still has two more seasons of eligibility ahead of him.
That’s the part that should really have Las Vegas paying attention. Bowers is extension eligible after this season, and the next deal for a player at his position could end up rewriting the market.
Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes put that reality into blunt terms when he spoke to reporters. “We always say that’s the highest-paid tight end. He might not be the highest paid right now, but shoot, when the time comes, we know he’s gonna be the highest paid,” per Sam Warren.
The money talk makes sense because Bowers has already become the focal point of the offense and the most trusted option for whichever quarterback is under center. He also owns the best rookie season by a tight end in NFL history, a 2024 breakout that put him on the league’s short list of elite young players.
For the Raiders, this is bigger than one contract. Bowers is the kind of player front offices build around, and teammates already seem to see him that way. Keeping him in place would also send a clear message inside the locker room that the rebuild under Klint Kubiak has a real cornerstone.
So while the Raiders still have time, the direction is obvious. Once the season ends, extension talks should pick up fast, and Las Vegas will have every reason to get ahead of the market before Bowers makes the price even steeper.
In Other News...
Raiders Center Just Offered A Telling Read On The QB Battle
Joint practices have given the Raiders a useful early window into Fernando Mendoza, and Tyler Linderbaum likes what he has seen from the rookie so far. The center said Mendoza is starting to take command of the huddle and is picking things up quickly, which matters as much as any throw in a competition still taking shape. Linderbaum also pointed to the snap exchange as a key part of the job, a reminder that for a young quarterback, the basics can be every bit as revealing as the highlight plays.
Kirk Cousins remains the standard in the room from a preparation and experience standpoint, and Linderbaum made clear that comparison is part of what Mendoza is working against and learning from. For the Raiders, the comments add a little more texture to a quarterback battle that is still unfolding, with the rookie showing signs of readiness while still having plenty to prove before anything is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Brady Just Sent Raiders Fans A Loud Fernando Mendoza Message
Tom Brady has found a new way to stir up Raiders buzz, and it comes through a piece of memorabilia tied to Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders part-owner recently landed a one-of-one Mendoza rookie card that includes the quarterbacks first NFL autograph, and the deal took weeks of negotiation before Brady finally secured it with a cash payment and an autographed jersey.
Brady then showed off the card publicly, turning a collectors prize into a pointed message about what he sees in Mendozas future. For Raiders fans, it reads like more than just a flex from a Hall of Famer. It is also a sign that Brady views the young quarterback as both a desirable collectible and a possible long-term asset for the team. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Already Moved On From Their Newest Receiver Addition
The Raiders latest receiver shuffle lasted barely a week, with Noah Brown moving on almost as quickly as he arrived. Brown had appeared in a preseason game and finished with one catch for 11 yards, but Las Vegas decided to release him without immediately bringing in another player, a reminder of how quickly the back end of the roster can change in August.
Receiver depth has been a moving target for the Raiders, especially with injuries affecting the group and another wideout expected back soon. Browns departure fits the kind of short-term adjustment teams often make this time of year, when every spot is under review and even a recent addition can become the odd man out in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]