The Raiders’ slide has left little margin for error, and now they’re waiting on one of their biggest weapons to get healthier.
Brock Bowers is still working through a nagging calf issue, according to the latest injury report update. Ryan McFadden reported that the star tight end was limited in practice on Wednesday because of the injury.
That’s not the kind of news Las Vegas wanted heading into a needed rebound spot. The Raiders opened the season 3-0, but they’ve since dropped four straight and suddenly find themselves trying to steady the season before it slips further.
Bowers, 23, has played in five games this year and has already put up big numbers when available. He has 34 catches, three touchdowns and 455 receiving yards, production that has made his importance to the offense impossible to miss. The problem has been availability, with injuries continuing to interrupt his season.
The timing matters because the Raiders still have something to play for, even after the rough stretch. The postseason is still in the conversation, though the AFC West leaves little room to breathe. Las Vegas sits at 3-4 behind the 5-1 Kansas City Chiefs and the 5-2 Denver Broncos, while the 0-6 Los Angeles Chargers are bringing up the rear.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the next week or two could say plenty about how the Raiders view the rest of this season. Their upcoming matchup gives them a chance to get moving again, with the 2-5 New York Jets set to visit on Sunday.
Bowers’ status will keep getting watched closely as the game gets closer.
In Other News...
Raiders Already Have A Kirk Cousins Decision Looming
Kirk Cousins has given the Raiders a steadier hand at quarterback, but his presence has also created an early fork in the road for a team that is still balancing the present against the future. With rookie Fernando Mendoza waiting behind him, Las Vegas is already facing the kind of decision that can shape a season long before the calendar gets deep into fall.
An NFL analyst has even raised the possibility that Cousins could become a trade target before the Nov. 10 deadline, which would instantly add another layer to how the Raiders view their quarterback room. The other path is simpler, and maybe more practical in the short term: keep Cousins in place and let him serve as the veteran guide while Mendoza continues to learn with little NFL experience under his belt. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Next Game Could Change Everything Around Maxx Crosby Rumors
Four straight losses have pushed the Raiders into a difficult spot, and the next game against the Jets now carries a little more weight than a typical midseason matchup. Team analyst Kirk Morrison called it a must-win, and with the trade deadline drawing closer, the result could shape how aggressively the Raiders approach the roster in the days ahead.
Naturally, that has fed the chatter around Maxx Crosby, whose name is always going to come up when a struggling team starts to wonder about its long-term direction. There is no confirmed trade decision, and the speculation remains just that for now, but the broader uncertainty around the Raiders makes this a situation worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A WR Problem They Cant Ignore
The Raiders four-game slide has exposed problems all over the roster, but the receiver room is now under a sharper microscope as the offense struggles to find reliable answers. Former Raider Lincoln Kennedy was particularly blunt after the loss to the Rams, pointing to a group that did not consistently separate or make life easier on the quarterback, which only adds to the unease around a unit that has not lived up to the moment.
Tre Tucker has been the clear bright spot at the position, and his recent play has only strengthened the sense that the Raiders need to make a priority out of keeping him around. With free agency approaching, the team is reportedly focused on re-signing him before he can test the market, a signal that Tucker may be the one wideout they can least afford to lose if this offense is going to have any stability going forward. [Read more 🡒]