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One of the top offensive weapons for the Las Vegas Raiders will be missing multiple games after suffering an injury in training camp in the run-up to a new NFL season.
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers will be out 'a game or two' after undergoing a meniscus trim operation in Dallas on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter reports that the operation was performed by Dr Daniel Cooper, who told the NFL insider that the injury was diagnosed last week. The tight end 'got banged up "a little in camp,"' according to Cooper.
Recovery for a meniscus trim is typically between 4-6 weeks, but the Raiders and Bowers' medical team believes he could be back quicker than that.
With surgery finished, the Raiders will be turning to tight end Michael Mayer to carry the bulk of the workload before Bowers' return.
It's a sickening blow for the Raiders, who were already expected to have a tough time in the already-power-packed AFC West.
Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers will miss 'a game or two' after a procedure
It's a blow for the team co-owned by Tom Brady just as the NFL season is set to start
Bowers is already an All-Pro tight end as he enters his third season in the NFL
The team, part owned by Tom Brady, is entering a new era with first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza waiting in the wings to take over a franchise that has missed the playoffs four years in a row.
The Raiders are taking it slow with Mendoza, hoping the Indiana product can help guide the team to its first playoff win since 2002.
But in the meantime, Las Vegas has named veteran Kirk Cousins as their starter for Week 1 of the season.
Bowers, already a first-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler just two seasons into his NFL career, is expected to be a key part to that success.
In his first season in the league, Bowers set a pair of league records for most catches by a rookie in a single season and most receiving yards by a rookie tight end.
Last season, a pair of injuries derailed Bowers' progress as he was limited to just eight starts and 12 games played. Still, he hauled in the most touchdowns of his career with seven.
The Raiders will be waiting for Sunday to begin their 2026 NFL campaign. They will host the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.
