The Las Vegas Raiders are riding the struggle bus this season. They're 2-10 and in the midst of an eight-game losing streak, the longest active losing streak in the NFL. They were also the first AFC team eliminated from playoff contention in 2024.
However, first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers is rising above the entirety of Las Vegas' mess this year to have a historic start to his NFL career.
Bowers leads the NFL in catches with 84 this season, and that number of grabs is the second most through 12 career games since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, per CBS Sports Research. Only New York Giants rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (91 catches) had more in his first 12 NFL games. Bowers' 884 receiving yards are the fourth most in the league this season, and they also rank as the most by a tight end through 12 career games since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, per CBS Sports Research.
Bowers is on pace for 119 catches this season, which would shatter the single-season rookie receptions record of 105 set last season by Los Angles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua.
"No, not this one. This guy is different," Pierce said Wednesday when asked if there was a tight end Bowers compares to. "It's different, because when you get matched up on the No. 1 corner, when you're getting double-teamed throughout the field, and they know we're going to throw him the ball, and we're going to keep throwing him the ball, and he's winning those matchups. It's hard."
Even though he is still just 21 years old, his head coach sees the 2024 draft's 13th overall pick as a man among boys out on the field.
"... His body type is different," Pierce said. "I mean, I think there was some comparisons early on to Aaron Hernandez, of that type, but I just think the way he plays the game after he has the ball -- I mean, it's really like a running back. He's a receiver when the ball is in the air, and when he has a ball in his hand, I mean he's punishing people. He's skilled enough obviously with his hands and his catch radius. I can't really speak highly enough about this player. This player is doing a hell of a job this year for us, and it's no secret what we're going to do each and every play when there's an opportunity to throw it to 89."
| Bowers (2024 season) | NFL Rank | |
|---|---|---|
Targets | 113 | 4th* |
Receptions | 84 | 1st* |
Receiving Yards | 884 | 4th* |
Yards After Catch | 445 | 6th* |
* Leads all NFL tight ends
The rookie, who will turn 22 on Dec. 12, registered 140 receiving yards in the team's Week 13 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, but Pierce maintains he knew well before this past Friday that Bowers "just a different cat."
"He is the best tight end in the league RIGHT NOW."@PriscoCBS on Brock Bowers. pic.twitter.com/ok1QGDV3yM
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 4, 2024
"I've said that from Day 1, from the first day he walked into the building, he was just a different cat, man," Pierce said. "He's all about ball. You just see him, everything he's doing. He's always moving. Everything's football-related, even just walking through the building. And that's just a small sample of what he does throughout. Just his releases, his ability, we throw him a fade over there on [Trent] McDuffie late in the game or third quarter, and his ability to stack him, get on top and make a one-hand catch and put his hand up late: those are things that you see more veteran players do. But [he's] obviously a very skilled and tremendous athlete."
