The Las Vegas Raiders got off to a strong start to the 2025 NFL season as they defeated the New England Patriots 20-13. Brock Bowers played a key role in that victory, as he finished with 103 receiving yards and five receptions before leaving the game late in the third quarter with a knee injury.
While he has played through the ailment over the past two weeks, his production has suffered during that stretch. He has recorded just nine receptions for 76 yards in the two games combined, and the Raiders have dropped both contests.
Despite there being far bigger issues with the team at the moment, having the 2024 All-Pro tight end at full strength would be huge for Las Vegas. After all, he is still the centerpiece of the offense despite all the changes made this offseason.
Jakobi Meyers discusses Brock Bowers' injury amid losing streak
Bowers has clearly been affected by the knee injury; however, it seems like he could be rapidly recovering. He is once again trending towards playing in Week 4, as on Wednesday, he was a full participant in practice for the first time since going down in Week 1.
Veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers spoke to the media in the locker room after Wednesday's practice ahead of the team's Week 4 game against the Chicago Bears. He talked with Nick Walters about the struggles of being injured and losing in the NFL, but reassured fans that Bowers will be fine.
"I mean, I can't quantify it, but I would tell you it's very stressful, especially when you're young, you didn't win the game, you know you could help the team, but Brock's going to be alright," Meyers said. "Lord willing, Brock will have a long career in the NFL. He's going to make a lot of plays. He's going to bounce back. I think it's tough not being able to do something that you know you can do and you want to do it in that moment, it's going to be tough on you."
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Bowers has been a pivotal part of the Raiders' offense since the franchise selected him 13th overall in last year's draft. The unit would receive a huge boost if he is back to full strength for this Sunday's matchup with the Bears.
Of course, Las Vegas had much bigger problems than a banged-up Bowers in their 41-24 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 3, who were without Jayden Daniels. Their special teams allowed multiple big plays, the defense allowed Marcus Mariota -- who had not started since 2022 -- to carve them up, and the offensive line's struggles continued.
A healthy Bowers would be a step in the right direction, but the Raiders have several issues to correct if they want to improve to 2-2. If fans take Meyers' word for it, however, they should not stress about the second-year star.