Ahead of Klint Kubiak's first season as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, they hit a bit of a snag right before the season. Superstar tight end Brock Bowers had his meniscus trimmed just days before the 2026 campaign began, throwing into question his near-future availability for the team. Fortunately for the Raiders, Bowers appears to be a quick healer who should be ready for action very soon.
Bowers will not play against the Raiders' AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, on Sunday. After that, though?
The expectation is that Bowers is back in the Raiders lineup to make his season debut come Week 3. Las Vegas will visit the New Orleans Saints next Sunday:
Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) is not expected to play against the Chargers, per @RapSheet
He "should be good to go" for Week 3. pic.twitter.com/2bxEkaYx24
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 20, 2026
After a First-Team All-Pro season as a rookie in 2024, injuries limited Bowers' effectiveness in 2025. Bowers will undoubtedly look to build on the momentum of his 2024 season when he finally returns for the Raiders later this month. The Raiders could, quite obviously, use their best player dominating the middle of the field again.
Who is Brock Bowers' backup on the Raiders?
Veteran tight end Michael Mayer is listed as Bowers' backup on the Raiders' depth chart. Mayer is in his fourth NFL season, all of which have been with the Raiders.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Brock Bowers coming back to the Raiders?
