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Las Vegas Raiders TE Brock Bowers.

The Las Vegas Raiders are going to be very different this season. New head coach Klint Kubiak is going to be calling the plays, and he should be a massive upgrade over Chip Kelly from last season and Luke Getsy from a couple of years ago.

Plus, Kirk Cousins is coming into play quarterback, and rookie Fernando Mendoza is expected to join him in the room. The Raiders are still light on wide receiver talent, but they are fortunate to have arguably the best tight end in the NFL in Brock Bowers.

That’s what Cousins believes. After he signed with the team, he declared that Bowers is doing it better than any tight end in the league right now. Bowers finally had a chance to respond to those comments from Cousins.

“I haven’t seen that, but he’s the man,” Bowers told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Having him around the building has been great because he brings great energy and attitude. I’m excited to work with him.”

Bowers set records during his rookie season, but wasn’t able to reach the same heights in Year 2. With a better offensive system and improved quarterback play, he should be able to put up huge numbers again.

Bowers Excited to Reunite With Nakobe Dean & Quay Walker

The Raiders have put a lot of commitment into talent from Georgia. The team re-signed cornerback Eric Stokes and also brought in linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, who all played for the Bulldogs.

Bowers played with Walker and Dean in college and is really excited to reunite with them at the NFL level.

“Adding Quay and Nakobe is big-time,” Bowers said. “It’s huge for our defense. They bring a presence out there, and they are both really smart football guys.”

It’s not a bad idea for the Raiders to rely on Georgia talent, as they’ve been one of the best college football programs in the country over the past decade.

Raiders’ Ideal First-Round Pick

There has been debate about whether or not the Raiders should draft Mendoza with the No. 1 pick or trade back to get more picks. The team seems set on taking the quarterback, which should be the wise choice in the long run.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report believes that Mendoza is the ideal draft pick for the Raiders.

“The organization has been left out in the cold during the last two draft classes despite its continued search for a quarterback. The team completely falling apart in 2025 and needing a quick reboot placed them in position to choose one of the toughest and most poised quarterback prospects in recent memory,” Sobleksi wrote. “Fernando Mendoza shouldn’t be viewed as a Trevor Lawrence- or Joe Burrow-caliber prospect. However, his overall resiliency and ability to deliver in big moments, coupled with prototypical size and above-average arm talent while elevating an entire program to a national championship, make him every bit worthy of this selection.

“The Raiders finally get their guy at the game’s most important position. The fact it’s obvious doesn’t make it any less ideal. Quite the opposite.”