The 2025 NFL season hasn’t gotten off to the start that the Las Vegas Raiders hoped for. Under a new regime, it seemed like things would take a turn for the better after a very aggressive offseason. However, things haven’t come to pass quite as well as the team might have expected. At 1-3, their fall in the standings has been precipitous, with a brutal AFC West not offering any real respite.
Two of the team’s most significant problems have been many injuries and an underwhelming start by the offensive line. As a result, the offense, which was supposed to be their calling card, has been far from excellent. By PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, the unit ranks 27th.
One name the team has missed is tight end Michael Mayer. With a Week 5 clash against the suddenly dangerous Indianapolis Colts team on the calendar, will Vegas have its early-round TE?
Will Michael Mayer Play Against the Indianapolis Colts?
A second-round pick for the Raiders in the 2023 NFL Draft, Mayer’s career hasn’t gotten off to the start that most people predicted. An underwhelming rookie season saw him tally just 304 yards and two touchdowns in 12 starts.
Those numbers turned downright disappointing in his second go-around, as he added just 156 yards in eight starts without recording a single score. This year, unfortunately, has looked like more of the same, as Mayer tallied 47 yards through the first two games.
With other names, most notably Brock Bowers, dominating at the position, Mayer has fallen behind on the depth chart. However, things took a turn for the worse in their Week 3 game against the Washington Commanders.
Early in the game, the Notre Dame product left with a concussion, which also caused him to sit out last week against the Chicago Bears. His return isn’t guaranteed going into a pivotal game against the Colts.
MORE: Week 5 NFL Injury Report: Latest Updates on Bucky Irving, Lamar Jackson, Joe Mixon, and Others
However, head coach Pete Carroll’s latest comments indicate that fans can be optimistic about seeing him on the field.
“I don’t have any update, but there’s a really good chance he’ll be back. He felt pretty good at the end of the week.”
If Mayer does indeed return to the lineup, it will give an additional pair of hands for quarterback Geno Smith to trust. So far, he hasn’t been the massive upgrade at the most important position in the sport that the Raiders were expecting.
Some of the issues are a weak receiving corps and a porous offensive line. But with more bodies getting healthy, it could allow him to find his former Pro Bowl form.
