The Las Vegas Raiders entered their bye week reeling from a 31-0 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving fans desperate for a turnaround and clinging to hopes of a potential playoff push once play resumes.
That defeat also renewed optimism around the possible return of tight end Brock Bowers, who went down with a knee injury in Week 1 during a 20-13 win over the New England Patriots. The injury worsened after he attempted to play through the pain for three weeks, but signs now point to his comeback being imminent.
When Is Brock Bowers Expected To Return?
According to Ryan McFadden, head coach Pete Carroll said that the tight end is expected to suit up this weekend when the Raiders host the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Bowers has not been at his best during his first games in 2025-26 and has already missed more games than last season, greatly diminishing his impact compared to what was seen in the spectacular victory against the Patriots, when he had five receptions and contributed 103 yards.
#Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said TE Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers should be ready to go after the bye week.
— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) October 20, 2025
In the following games he played this season, the tight end did not score any touchdowns, gained fewer than 50 yards, and was a very inconspicuous player in the Raiders’ offense, which currently ranks 30th in the PFSN Offense Impact metric with a 62.7 score.
His recovery is crucial for the rest of the Raiders’ season. The bye week in Week 8 was essential for the tight end and several other injured players to recover. Regardless of the quarterback, Bowers’ presence greatly improves the chances of a more potent offense.
Bowers is a tight end who functions more like a hybrid weapon — part slot receiver, part traditional tight end, part mismatched runner. He creates tactical flexibility for offenses by lining up in multiple spots on the line, in the slot, wing, and backfield, forcing defenses into difficult matchups.
For the Raiders, his return means that Bowers can be used as a focal point in the passing game, especially to exploit mismatches, open intermediate zones, and act as a chain-mover and chunk-play threat. His acceleration and change of direction are above average for a tight end, meaning he can threaten seams and intermediate verticals.
The Las Vegas team is in last place in the AFC West Division with only two wins and five losses, and the return of the tight end means the Raiders will have their primary targets back in Geno Smith’s passing game. Smith will also benefit from the presence of Tyler Lockett, who signed a contract this week.