Brock Bowers is forcing defenses to rethink the tight end position

Oct 08, 2026 at 10:16 AM

Raiders Columnist

"He's kind of a football robot. In a good way. He's a football robot from heaven. He's a Cadillac out there." - Raiders coach Klint Kubiak on tight end Brock Bowers during OTAs.

Praise comes in many forms when it comes to the Raiders tight end, a first-team All-Pro selection as a rookie two seasons ago.

Compliments on the field arrive thusly - the Chiefs primarily covered Brock Bowers with a cornerback, rather than the usual linebacker or safety, last weekend and perhaps provided a preview of what he might face from opponents going forward.

"Yeah, it's definitely a little different," Bowers told me with a grin, of a peskier, lighter DB on his hip.

"You've got to be a little more physical in the route running. Just because, you know, that's the main advantage you have is you're a little bit bigger and stronger than him. So yeah, definitely got to use your body a little bit more and try to get a little shifty. Not too much, though. Can't get too pretty with it."

Except…

"Pretty" is exactly how Bowers' game has been described, by coaches, teammates, foes and Hall of Famers alike. And for good reason.

After missing the Raiders' first two games recuperating from a reported meniscus trim in his left knee, Bowers lit up the Superdome with 10 catches on 14 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Saints. Then he caught six passes on a game-high 11 targets for 86 yards with a tough 20-yard TD in which he strong-arm plucked the ball out of the sky on a scramble drill from Kirk Cousins.

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"That quote from Klint, about him being a football robot sent from heaven? I mean, that's so true," Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn said of Bowers with a laugh.

"He runs routes like a receiver - like an elite receiver, not just a receiver - but he's strong. You feel like you may be in his pocket, but he's got the strength of a tight end as well. And a lot of people don't know, but he's still a willing blocker so you've got to respect him in all phases of the game. He's got every route, he blocks, he's got the head fakes, he can do everything."

Mere courtesy compliments from a teammate who has covered him in practice?

Sure, but Bowers also lit the Patriots up to the tune of five catches for 103 yards in the season opener last year. It's also when Bowers tweaked his knee enough that it affected him the rest of the season.

New England coach Mike Vrabel has thoughts that ring familiar to the Chiefs' defensive strategy.

"Really, Brock's a receiver," Vrabel said Wednesday in his media availability. "It's impressive what he does at his size - the speed, the route craft, being able to catch at the catch point. He's like a big slot receiver.

"He's got downfield speed, he runs outward breaking routes. He runs routes like a receiver but then also he's got the ability to double guys up inside."

Teammate praise? Check.

Opposing coach lofting laurels? Yup.

How about a Gold Jacket cornerback's thoughts, then?

Eric Allen said it's Bowers' route running that separates him from other tight ends.

"He can go from tight end-type of in-line [player], to outside guy, matched up with a No. 1 corner," Allen said in his weekly breakdown. "He's going to be physical on that smaller corner. So at the top of the route, he's going to be physical, push off a little bit, gain that separation. And then if there's a bigger defender covering, a safety or a linebacker, he's really going to leverage his strength. So if that guy has outside leverage on him, he's going to attack that outside leverage, give himself space to be able to work and have Kirk Cousins throw a ball wherever he needs to throw that football.

"Just a great job of him being versatile enough to change the type of routes - at the beginning, on his release, during the route, if he needs to get physical and push off, and at the end of the route, being able to separate. And his catch radius is incredible."

Through it all, Bowers stays humble. Almost indifferent.

Even as he just reached 2,000 receiving yards in his 31st NFL game, joining Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow as the second-fastest tight end in NFL history to match that mark.

The Brock Factor 😱#RaiderNation | 📺 NFL+ pic.twitter.com/Z4n3OMI9js
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 7, 2026

To Bowers, he's just playing ball and having fun doing it, though it's more fun when the Raiders win, he said.

"That's what we come here to do every day," he said. "It definitely makes the week-to-week [work] a little bit more enjoyable, winning games and knowing that your work's paying off."

Like on that fourth-quarter fire drill of a TD catch against the Chiefs.

"I was running a little corner post," Bowers said. "I thought he was going to throw it to me, then he first started getting hit and he kind of pulled it back. Then he started rolling out and I started running to the back of the end zone and he just lofted it up.

"When I was coming back to the front of the end zone, I was getting a little nervous because I saw the other guys in front of me. But I came down with it. So it was all good."

Better than good.

How's that for a compliment?

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Las Vegas Raiders long snapper Alex Ward (47) before practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.