Without a true No. 1 wide receiver on the roster, and really not much proven talent in that room at all, the Las Vegas Raiders will be relying heavily on their tight end unit during the 2026 NFL season. With an All-Pro in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer ready to break out at any time, it's hard to blame them.
Klint Kubiak has enjoyed plenty of success relying on multi-tight end sets, so there is room for both players to thrive this year. Unfortunately, just as we were writing this piece, news broke that Bowers underwent an operation on his knee and that he is expected to miss 1-2 weeks. It could be longer.
So, that undoubtedly changes the disposition for this group. But let's operate under the assumption that Bowers will be back relatively soon, as reports indicate, and talk about the outlook for the Raiders' tight ends anyway, including a bold prediction for each player in the room.
Previewing Las Vegas Raiders' TE room before the 2026 NFL season
Brock Bowers
Bowers, when healthy, is a transcendent talent. Not only is he an incredible route-runner for his size, but he's great at the catch point, has a wicked catch radius, makes circus grabs and gets the job done after the catch. Simply put, he's a built-in-a-lab tight end.
He also doesn't quite get enough credit for being an adequate run-blocker, but that'll never be his main role. Bowers will be the centerpiece of this offense's passing attack, the one that Kubiak must work tirelessly to scheme open, as he did with the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba a year ago.
Perhaps the best part of Bowers' game is that he is a matchup nightmare, as linebackers are too slow to stick with him, and defensive backs often aren't big or physical enough. It takes the Pat Surtain IIs and Derwin Jameses of the league to even remotely slow Bowers down.
If he plays the majority of the season and the Raiders are even halfway decent, Bowers has legitimate Offensive Player of the Year potential. To many, he is already the best tight end in the league, as he set franchise and NFL records in his rookie year. But health is wealth, and we'll see how rich he is in 2026.
Bold prediction: Bowers misses at least the first four games of the season.
Michael Mayer
Mayer has never gotten a fair shake in Las Vegas, as he's dealt with injuries, off-the-field issues, Bowers' emergence and a general lack of skill around him, whether that be poor play-calling and scheming that didn't know how to involve two tight ends or inefficient quarterback play.
But even alongside Bowers, this was the year that Mayer was going to break out. He's always been a very good run blocker and a solid pass-catcher with a sure set of hands, but Mayer can be unleashed in this offense with Bowers serving as the eye candy and Kubiak taking advantage of that.
Now, Mayer isn't a Bowers-level player in the passing game, but he was a second-round pick for a reason. He's more of a glider and a physical player at the top of the route than Bowers is, and while he may not have the big-play ability, Mayer can find open space and carve out yards after the catch.
Perennially underrated because he is perennially underutilized, that should end for Mayer in 2026. Now, with Bowers out for who knows how long, Mayer has the chance to ascend even more than he would have and put together a campaign he's proud of in a contract year.
Bold prediction: Mayer eclipses 700 receiving yards, more than doubling last year's output.
Ian Thomas
Thomas was brought in last season to be a veteran presence and a steady player for a still-young but ultra-talented tight end room. And although he underwhelmed as a blocker, which was his calling card, Thomas actually had a decent season catching the ball.
13 catches for 114 yards may not sound like a lot, and in a way, it isn't, but Thomas caught every pass thrown his way because he made himself available for easy throws, and five of his grabs went for first downs. As a third tight end, that is a nice element to bring behind two dynamic players.
This preseason, however, Thomas really struggled. He dropped two passes on eight targets, and his blocking looked a bit worse against backups. But now, he'll be thrust into the lineup because of Bowers' injury, and perhaps Thomas, being a veteran, will answer the call. Fans have to hope so.
Bold prediction: Thomas shakes off a rough preseason and goes for 250+ receiving yards.
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