Despite their offensive struggles in 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders were the only team to have a wide receiver and tight end duo that both finished with 1,000 yards. In fact, they were just one of two teams to have two pass catchers reach the 1,000-yard mark, the other being the 15-win Lions.
Jakobi Meyers finished with 87 receptions for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns despite missing two games. Meanwhile, Brock Bowers caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns, earning first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie.
The latter set the NFL record for most receptions by a rookie, regardless of position, and most receiving yards by a rookie tight end. Bowers also set the Raiders' franchise record for receptions in a single season.
Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers receive praise from Raiders head coach Pete Carroll
Impressively, the duo were able to simultaneously have strong seasons despite poor quarterback play and a running game that was virtually non-existent. Las Vegas' new regime focused on revamping both positions as they added quarterback Geno Smith and running back Ashton Jeanty.
Meyers and Bowers figure to once again provide the Raiders' passing game with plenty of production. While Las Vegas is hoping that a third option will emerge, the two stars will almost certainly be Smith's top targets in his first year in Silver and Black.
Following Thursday's joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, Carroll labeled his duo as a strong fit alongside one another while speaking with the media.
"He's so sure-handed, so steady, so improvisational, that he can get himself open," Carroll said of Meyers. "With he and Brock, it's tough to cover those two guys. And so, they complement each other in a great manner, but Jakobi has done a fantastic job. Every day we've come out here, he's making plays."
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Despite both players coming off of 1,000-yard seasons, it would not be a surprise to see them surpass their production from a year ago. Smith is coming off a season where he threw for 4,320 yards and completed 70.4% of his pass attempts, which is a clear upgrade over the trio of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder.
Meanwhile, Bowers and Meyers enter the 2025 season as the clear No. 1 and No. 2 options in Las Vegas' passing game. That was not the case last year, as Davante Adams was the top option to begin the season.
In the three games he played as a Raider, the six-time Pro Bowler received 27 targets compared to 21 for Bowers and 17 for Meyers. He led the team in targets in two of those three games while finishing second in the other. With Adams no longer in the picture, Las Vegas' duo both figure to receive a bigger workload to begin the season, and Carroll seems ready to give it to them.