The Las Vegas Raiders just can't have anything nice for too long.
On the same day that fans learned that star running back Ashton Jeanty was returning to practice and optimism about his status for Week 1 was shining through, Raiders reporters began noting that Brock Bowers wasn't on the practice field. This wasn't really cause for concern, but not ideal, either.
A report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport told us, however, that the All-Pro tight end underwent a meniscus trim on Tuesday, and that he is expected to miss "a game or two." Apparently, Bowers got "banged up a little in camp" and the injury was diagnosed last week.
Hopefully, that timeline holds firm, and Bowers is back by Week 2 or 3. But in reality, there is no real positive way to spin this news, as Bowers is the centerpiece of the offense and the team's best player. It'll be tough sledding for Las Vegas without him in the lineup, for however long that is.
Here are some instant reactions to this devastating update.
5 Knee-jerk reactions to injury news about Raiders' Brock Bowers
1. This changes everything for the Raiders' offense
Bowers is supposed to be the centerpiece of Klint Kubiak's scheme, and without him, the entire equation has changed. Las Vegas doesn't have a true No. 1 wide receiver, but that was always rationalized in the name of Bowers being the top option in the passing game. Now, it is more difficult to see how the Raiders effectively move the ball on Sunday and beyond without Bowers on the field.
2. It's not ideal that Bowers has hurt his knee in two straight seasons
Point blank.
Last year, Bowers took a sizeable hit in the opener against the New England Patriots, sustaining a bone bruise and a PCL sprain in his left knee. This infamously nagged him all year long, as he missed a total of five games and was clearly very limited throughout the campaign. It is unknown if the knee that Bowers just hurt is the same one as last year, but it's a different kind of injury regardless.
And bad either way.
3. The conspiracy theorists may have been right
At one point during training camp, there was a minor social media storm brewing about Bowers potentially being injured because of a wrap of sorts that was seen on his knee during a video that surfaced from practice. He was also pulled after just one snap in the preseason opener. None of this evidence was conclusive, though, and Bowers apparently continued to dominate in practices.
Nobody asked or said a word about Bowers being banged up, so fans were in the dark. And now it has come to light that maybe these conspiracy theorists may have been right the whole time. My spidey senses started tingling when the Raiders randomly brought back fullback/tight end Patrick Gurd, as I said the following in my piece when he was re-signed to the practice squad:
"I hate to even say this, but I hope there's not an insidious reason that Las Vegas brought him back before Week 1 on such short notice."
We seem to have our answer now.
4. Klint Kubiak is a master of media deception
Kubiak took the podium just over an hour before the Bowers news broke and told reporters that "We're expecting to have all our guys ready for Sunday." Either Bowers isn't one of their guys, or Kubiak flat-out lied to the media, because the trim had already happened when Kubiak spoke to the press. And it's fine, I suppose, that Kubiak wanted to keep a competitive advantage ahead of Week 1.
If it weren't for Rapoport, the Dolphins would be trying to piece together information from local beat reporters who didn't have much of a clue as to what was going on, and they wouldn't know the severity. But it just makes it all the more difficult for fans to trust what Kubiak says in these settings, even if saying nothing is best for the Raiders. Kubiak is a master of deceiving the media, it seems.
5. It is Michael Mayer season (for now)
Mayer has been a ticking time bomb, waiting to break out in Las Vegas. And now, in a contract year, no less, he has a major opportunity to explode onto the scene and prove his worth to the Raiders or any number of teams around the NFL. It's just a shame that him potentially coming into his own may have to be at the expense of Bowers, because there's a world where they beautifully co-exist.
It's not like the offense is sunk with Mayer as the No. 1 tight end, but both of them is certainly better than just one of them. Hopefully, Mayer can hold down the fort and then some until Bowers gets back, whenever that actually is.
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