Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is already doing what Michael Mayer couldn't as a rookie

The Las Vegas Raiders couldn't grab the quarterback of their future in the 2024 NFL Draft like they initially hoped they could. So, they went and grabbed maybe the best overall player of the entire draft in former Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers.

Bowers was the best available, but he's also a player that you really cannot pass on, especially if you need help on offense like the Raiders do. And, Bowers is considered one of the greatest college tight ends ever, if not the best. With Luke Getsy coming to town as the offensive coordinator, the Raiders would need two tight ends anyway to run more 12 personnel. So, the move made perfect sense.

Bowers was a name we constantly heard during training camp. And, as a rookie, that's great to hear. But on Saturday, for the Raiders' first preseason game of the year against the Minnesota Vikings, you wanted to see it in live action. And, let's just say they used Bowers in multiple ways, something they didn't do with Mayer as a rookie.

That's no knock on Mayer, but it's pretty obvious that this offensive scheme likes tight ends way more than the previous one does.

The Raiders used Bowers as a tight end and even threw him a ball that he caught for a crucial first down, and went 15 yards with it. Then, several plays later, he was motioned into the backfield as a full back and was the lead blocker on a run play that went for about six yards.

A few plays later, Bowers started the play in the backfield as a fullback and ran out to the flat to catch a pass for nine yards and a first down. All of this was in the first half against the Vikings starters on defense.

Sure, it's just preseason and we shouldn't overreact too much, but it feels like this team is going to use Bowers as much as they possibly can, and that's a great thing.

Related: Raiders vs. Vikings First Half Observations: Aidan O'Connell gets the start in the Silver and Black