“Brock Bowers is WR1”.
That’s the popular retort when the topic of the Las Vegas Raiders lacking a true top wide receiver when Klint Kubiaks offense is discussed.
Bowers does provide the Silver & Black an elite, position-versatile playmaker at tight end. And it’s that hybrid nature of what the 23-year-old brings to the table that makes relegating the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to purely an in-line tight end a gross mismanagement of a valuable resource. The 6-foot-4 and 235-pound Georgia product is a chess piece that can be moved all around the alignment or formation to create mismatches and put Bowers in the best possible position to succeed. That position versatility is a key trait for a traditional WR1.
Yet, relying solely on a tight end to be WR1 — no matter how elite Bowers has already shown to be in his first two season in the NFL — is risky. An argument that a true perimeter wide receiver is required to prevent defenses from simply double- or triple-teaming Bowers in coverage.
Both of those things can be true.
By The Numbers
Brock Bowers, Tight End
- 2025: 12 games (8 starts), 86 targets, 64 receptions, 680 yards, 7 touchdowns; 2 carries, 2 yards
- Career: (2024-25), 29 games (24 starts), 239 targets, 176 receptions, 1,874 yards, 12 touchdowns; 7 carries, 15 yards
Fortunately for the folk who pine that Bowers’ presence means a WR1 is a moot point, the Raiders have a play caller in Kubiak who has the experience and knowledge of making the talented tight end one of the best receivers in the game.
Steeped the Shanahan and Kubiak offensive philosophy, Klint deploys tight ends by exploiting versatility as “move” pieces who are primarily pass catchers as opposed to in-line blockers. In his three stints as an offensive coordinator, tight ends were productive pass catchers under Kubiak’s watch.
In his lone season as the Seattle Seahawks offensive conductor in 2025, AJ Barner finished third in targets (68) and yards (519) and second in receptions (52) and touchdowns (six). During Kubiak’s stint as the New Orleans Saints play caller in 2024, Juwan Johnson paced the team in yards (548) while ending up second in targets (66) and receptions (50). Fellow tight end Foster Moreau added 32 receptions for 413 yards and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns. And, during Kubiak’s stint as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, Tyler Conklin hauled in 61 passes for 593 yards and a trio of touchdowns.
Check those aforementioned names above that Kubiak got to work with during his three years as an NFL offensive coordinator. None of those tight ends are on the plateau that Bowers currently inhabits. And it’s that level of difference in ability and talent that squarely nestles the Raiders’ tight end into elite category — something that Kubiak didn’t have at his disposal as a play caller prior. So much so that, shortly after Kubiak was hired, I explored how the Raiders head coach can unleash Bowers even more based on the coach’s ability to move pass-catching tight ends all around the alignment and formation to exploit the defense.
Bowers already showed the position versatility in his first two seasons in Silver & Black and expect Kubiak to put No. 89 on the perimeter, slot, traditional in-line tight end spot, and backfield if he wants to give the opposing defenses consistent migraines when matching up against his Raiders. Add in Bowers’ route running, separation, and yards after catch (YAC) ability and it’s easy to see why a tight end can be considered WR1 in Las Vegas.
Kubiak’s offense focuses on getting the ball in space to maximize pass catcher talents and Bowers has the size, speed, hands, and body control to be a full-on primary receiving threat.
Bowers is no stranger to being the primetime receiving threat for the Silver & Black, of course. As a rookie, in 2024, the Napa native paced the Raiders with 153 targets and hauling in 112 passes for 1,194 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was second with 129 targets for 87 receptions, 1,027 yards, and four touchdowns.
However, there’s inherent risks to a dependence on Bowers to be WR1.
While he may be supremely talented, a knee injury did hobble the tight end in 2025 limiting him to just 12 games with eight starts this past season. As the adage goes, the best ability is availability. Despite a truncated participation rate, Bowers still managed to draw 86 targets for 64 receptions, 680 yards, and a team-leading seven receiving touchdowns.
Wide receiver Tre Tucker led Las Vegas with 92 targets, 57 receptions, for 696 yards, and two receiving touchdowns, for context. Which is ample time to bring up the Raiders’ wide receiver room. From both Spytek to Kubiak, the Raiders top decision makers openly talk about how they like what they have in Tucker and Co. That was made even more abundantly clear based on the offseason moves at that particular position group: Signing Jalen Nailor and special teamer Dareke Young and drafting Oregon’s Malik Benson in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft at 195th overall.
Tucker was the most productive wideout last season and is heading into the final year of his rookie deal (third round pick in the 2023 draft, 100th overall) at age 25. Meanwhile, second-year wide receivers Jack Bech (58th overall pick in 2025 draft) and Dont’e Thornton Jr. (108th overall) are being looked at to make a Year 2 sophomore surge this coming season.
Having a wide receiver step up to be a reliable and productive pass catcher in Kubiak’s offense will only help — to both take pressure of Bowers and make the Raiders’ attack versatile. But if that doesn’t materialize and Bowers has a clean bill of health for the upcoming 2026 campaign, then the tight end is indeed “WR1”.
