Does Raiders' Addition of Brock Bowers Jeopardize Michael Mayer's Climb?

Raider Nation was hoping to see a big leap from Las Vegas Raiders second-year tight end Michael Mayer, but now, first-round pick Brock Bowers might be getting those targets.

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) celebrates after / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The assumption when the Las Vegas Raiders drafted highly-coveted tight end Brock Bowers was that he and second-year tight end Michael Mayer would often take the field together in Raiders defensive coordinator Luke Getsy's two-tight-end package.

While that could very well be the case, with Bowers anticipated to be the best rookie tight end in recent memory, there might be a decrease in opportunities for Mayer.

Mayer, the Raiders' 2023 second-round pick, was the second-best tight end in college football behind Bowers in 2023. It took him a little while, but Mayer would start to find his game about halfway through his rookie season, finishing the campaign with 304 yards and two touchdowns on 27 receptions.

The gradual rise left fans hopeful for Mayer's future, but now, he will be sharing the attention with Bowers, one of the best prospects from this year's draft.

Not only that, but the Raiders also brought on veteran tight end Harrison Bryant this offseason, another addition to that room who could see a fair amount of snaps in 2024.

It all makes you wonder: Did the Raiders hurt Mayer's chances of development by bringing in Bowers, a weapon they will undoubtedly be utilizing as much as they can?

Bowers told reporters after he was drafted that there hadn't been much talk yet about how he will be used.

"I think that'll come more in the next couple of weeks with OTAs and rookie minicamp and all of that," he said. "So, I'm excited to get to know how I'm going to be used, and what's going to happen."

Again, Bowers and Mayer will likely both be used simultaneously in Getsy's system, and that could also be beneficial at times for Mayer, as Bowers is sure to draw heavy coverage.

This was the case for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who had one of his best campaigns last season, despite being on the field at the same time as one of the best receivers in the game, Davante Adams. Adams was still able to turn in a 1,000-plus-yard receiving season, but the attention he got from opposing defenses allowed Meyers to thrive.

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