RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesLas Vegas Raiders tight-end Brock Bowers (89) speaks to the media after Raiders Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center, Friday July 31, 2026 in Henderson, Nev.
Even in just two seasons, Brock Bowers has already established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL.
Already a perennial Pro Bowler, Bowers is living up to his potential and more. He has earned his role as the tip of the spear of the Raiders’ passing game and has delivered despite the rotating cast of characters under center. Now in his third year in Las Vegas, Bowers has his sights set on pushing the Raiders to the next level.
“I just try to go out there and do what I do,” said Bowers about his expectations for this season after the conclusion of Friday’s practice. “I don’t really kind of think about that. Just always try to be improving.”
Even in the first few days of training camp, the dedication Bowers has put towards that goal is already apparent.
On Friday, every time a big play clicked for the offense, Bowers was somewhere around it. He showed instant chemistry with quarterback Kirk Cousins, using his speed and crisp route running to get a step on defensive backs. It was the best individual performance of training camp so far, with Bowers getting at least one touchdown for his efforts.
“The ball found him today, but there’s guys on our team that we’re really excited about.” said Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. “We just got to keep getting them more and more reps, get them comfortable in the system so we can go be ready to play here in about a month.”
The gravity that Bowers presents opened the field up for other receiving targets as well, including another touchdown to Tre Tucker during the team period.
“He’s amazing. He makes life a lot easier for everyone,” said Tucker about Bowers.
“He’s been the best at what he’s done since he’s been in the league, and…he opens things up for everyone. He’s a very unselfish guy. He’s a team-first guy, and I think that’s what makes him even better.”
Bowers has continued to serve as a constant for the Raiders, even as the rest of the offense continues to take shape around him.
Receivers are continuing to jockey for targets as training camp ramps up. Dylan Laube and Mike Washington Jr. are competing for snaps behind Ashton Jeanty, with both impressing early on. Even kicker has proven to be an intriguing battle between veteran Matt Gay and fan favorite undrafted rookie Kansei Matsuzawa.
However, no battle has attracted more attention that at quarterback, where Cousins needed a day like today as he continues to ward off hungry challengers in Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell.
“I think any time they complete a ball better than he does or get it out faster than he does, he should get pissed,” Kubiak said half-jokingly about the quarterback battle.
In response to Kubiak wanting Mendoza and O’Connell to push Cousins for the starting job, he said that he believes they have responded well and the quarterback room is “doing something good every day.”
Despite everything, however, none of the players or coaches seem to treat the quarterback room as a battle. Instead, it feels more like a “partnership,” where every player gets the opportunity to learn from everyone else.
“It’s been fun,” said O’Connell. “Obviously, when you’re in a quarterback room, you spend a lot of time with each other, and so [we’re] talking a lot about football but also talking about life a lot too. It’s been fun to get to know those guys on a personal level and I think then, when you do talk about football, it’s a better relationship because of that.”
With spots still up for grabs, Bowers will remain a force that the Raiders are reliant on to produce going forward.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.