Across the last two NFL Drafts, the Raiders franchise has made a concerted effort to bolster the tight end room. Before the 2023 NFL Draft, Las Vegas traded away Darren Waller, who was once considered one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
Two years later, Waller is retired, and the Raiders tight end room has been restocked with two incredibly talented players. In the second round back in 2023, the Raiders traded up for Notre Dame star Michael Mayer, who was one of the best players at his position in that year's draft class.
This year, they went all-in during the first round, selecting Georgia star Brock Bowers with the No. 13 overall pick. Bowers was the unquestioned best player at his position, and many felt he was the best tight end prospect the league has seen come into the NFL in quite some time.
Over at CBS Sports, Jared Dubin put out a list of the top-20 tight ends going into the 2024 NFL season, and at least one of the Raiders' dynamic duo was listed.
Brock Bowers ranked No. 18 in the NFL entering his rookie season
While Mayer is currently listed as the starter on the depth chart for the Raiders, it is the rookie, Bowers, who was honored by the piece. Coming in at No. 18 overall, Bowers got high praise from the article, but Dubin states that until we see him on the field, we cannot move him any higher than No. 18.
That is a fair assessment, but one could argue that Mayer deserved to be on this list as well. It will be interesting to see how this tandem performs in Luke Getsy's offense this upcoming season, as the offensive coordinator has a reputation for getting the best out of his tight end groups.
The combination of Bowers and Mayer will go a long way in the Raiders success this season, and with talent at wide receiver and running back, the Raiders' offense could be much better than expected in 2024. However, until we know who the starting quarterback will be, it is hard to put a ceiling on what this group could be.
One thing is for sure, the tight end group should be very productive.