Raiders News: Pete Carroll Expects Brock Bowers To Play Week 2 Vs. Chargers

There was a lot of excitement heading into Year 2 for Brock Bowers as the Las Vegas Raiders tight end broke out in his rookie year.

Bowers quickly established himself as the future of the tight end position as he set several rookie records for receiving. A do-it-all tight end, Bowers’s ceiling is immense, and he projects to serve as Las Vegas’ primary option during the 2025 season.

Bowers got off to a relatively slow start in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, but eventually found his groove as he tore them up for 103 yards on just five receptions. However, Bowers was forced out of the game due to a knee injury, which caused obvious concern across the organization.

Bowers missed the first couple of days of practice this past week before returning in a limited fashion. Head coach Pete Carroll came away encouraged with Bowers and said he expects the young star to suit up for Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers via Ryan McFadden of ESPN:

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is questionable to play in Monday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers because of a knee injury, but Raiders coach Pete Carroll expects the team’s top pass catcher to be available.

Bowers practiced Saturday after sitting out Thursday and Friday. He has worn a brace over a sleeve on his left knee for the past two days.

“He practiced great,” Carroll said Saturday. “He did really well today.”

Although Bowers felt better physically, he remained non-committal about his availability:

“I don’t know, it’s hard to say. I’m just going to keep working out and see how I feel the rest of the day, tomorrow and the next day. So, we’ll see.”

Bowers getting in some practice is a great sign for the team, though the Raiders could always look to play it safe this early in the season. Bowers would go a long way in helping Las Vegas combat Los Angeles, but his long-term health should always be the priority.

Knowing Carroll and Bowers, though, if the tight end gets the clear from the medical staff, then he’ll be out on the field helping the Silver and Black try to earn their second win of the year.

Geno Smith and Brock Bowers built rapport in offseason

Geno Smith has never had a tight end move like Brock Bowers, and it looked like the rapport they built together during the offseason paid off, as evidenced by the Raiders’ Week 1 against the Patriots.