There was no shortage of questions about the Las Vegas Raiders drafting tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, as the position was not among the Raiders' needs going into the three-day event.
However, as the offseason has unfolded, it's become more clear that Bowers isn't just another typical tight end. Keeping in line with what he did in college, Bowers has been lining up all over the formation, which is key because now the Raiders can deploy both of their talented tight ends together.
As far as his performance this offseason is concerned, Bowers has looked as advertised, both in terms of his versatility and playmaking ability. He has certainly caught the eye of ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, who had this to say about the rookie:
How he has fared so far: Bowers glides when he runs, his stride resembling that of a free-flowing wideout more than a stereotypical lumbering tight end. And when not hauling in passes in practice, he has caught the attention of three-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, who is so impressed with Bowers' no-nonsense attitude off the field he gave him a nickname. "That's 'BM,' man," Adams said. "That's the 'Business Man.' He doesn't care about nothing else other than just locking in on football. I tried to tell a joke to get him to laugh, talking to the rookies. Sitting there stone-faced, he didn't laugh. That's BM right there. I see what he's about."
In what is another example of the versatility Bowers brings, our Dharya Sharma recently put the rookie as the Raiders' starting slot receiver in his starting offense projection, with Michael Mayer handling the TE1 duties.
And that makes a ton of sense, as the Raiders should be looking to free Bowers up to make him more of a playmaker while allowing the more experienced Mayer to do the dirty work as the primary in-line tight end.
Whatever the Raiders decide to do with their impressive duo at tight end, there's no doubt Bowers has the potential to be one of the most exciting playmakers in Las Vegas in 2024, and in the years to come.
