It was a case of taking the proverbial "best player available" as much as anything, but the Las Vegas Raiders' selection of tight end Brock Bowers at 13th overall in the 2024 draft seemed like a bit of writing on the wall for 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer after he had a disappointing rookie season.
Then came how last season went. Bowers had a record-setting rookie season, while Mayer missed several games due to an undisclosed personal issue and was not impactful when he was on the field (21 catches for 156 yards over 11 games).
So it was not a surprise when The Athletic reported the Raiders were engaging teams who have interest in trading for Mayer. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal followed that with a report that "plenty of teams" were interested. There should be multiple teams interested in giving a young tight end who is not much older than some incoming draft prospects (23, 24 in July) a change of scenery.
And the Raiders, for once, have a nice potential trade asset.
Michael Mayer has been easily confirmed as Raiders' top trade asset
So it's no surprise Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus has landed on Mayer as the Raiders' top trade asset heading into the 2025 draft.
"Las Vegas’ offensive blueprint is slowly coming to fruition after the team traded for Geno Smith. The Raiders will definitely look to upgrade their skill-position talent in the draft, but Mayer might not be in those plans."
"The Notre Dame product played just 461 snaps last year as he dealt with a personal issue. On top of that, through two pro seasons, he hasn’t even reached a 60.0 PFF overall grade. Yes, Pete Carroll could implement Mayer next to Brock Bowers in 12 personnel, but Mayer has reportedly been floated in trade talks. The 23-year-old could be sought after if offered."
The Raiders' tight end depth chart is a little thin after losing Harrison Bryant to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, with Bowers and Justin Shorter joining Mayer as the remaining tight ends on the roster. Bonsignore did point to trade winds around Mayer being more about other teams inquiring about his availability than the Raiders actively shopping him, but if someone offered a Day 2 draft pick it would be hard to turn down.