Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers returned to practice Friday for the first time since undergoing a meniscus trim in his left knee, but he remains doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bowers was a limited participant, according to the Raiders’ final injury report. He had not practiced since the Sept. 8 procedure after sitting out all of Week 1 and missing practice Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Bowers’ injury is not considered serious, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported in his Week 2 notebook. Graziano wrote that the team believed Bowers could have played in Week 1 if needed and that a return this week was possible.
He added that the Raiders are determined not to play Bowers until they are certain the knee is no longer affecting him. Graziano said Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs is the latest he expects Bowers back.
First-year Raiders coach Klint Kubiak had said before the opener that he expected Bowers to play. Bowers never practiced that week.
Las Vegas has not placed him on injured reserve, which would have cost him at least four games.
The Raiders won without him Sunday. They beat the Miami Dolphins 27-13 at Allegiant Stadium.
Michael Mayer started in Bowers’ place and caught six of seven targets for 32 yards.
Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes in his Raiders debut after arriving in an offseason trade with the Atlanta Falcons. His first went to receiver Jack Bech, and running back Ashton Jeanty caught the other two.
The third score gave Cousins 301 career touchdown passes. He became the 15th quarterback to reach 300 and moved into 14th place on the all-time list, one ahead of John Elway.
Cousins credited the people around him.
“I think it’s just a testament to trying to win the long game,” Cousins said after the game. “Trying to have good habits over a long period of time, and I feel like it’s also a testament to the people I’ve been able to work with, coaches, the players around me. Really grateful for all the people involved in being able to do that.”
His day was not clean. Cousins completed 21 of 30 passes for 160 yards and threw two interceptions.
Bowers would give him his top target back. The Raiders took Bowers 13th overall in 2024, and he has made the Pro Bowl in both of his NFL seasons.
As a rookie, he set an NFL rookie record with 112 receptions. His 1,194 receiving yards were the most ever by a rookie tight end.
Bowers is 23.
Should the knee need more time, Mayer would start again Sunday. The Raiders visit the Chargers in their first AFC West game of the season, travel to New Orleans in Week 3 and then host the Chiefs in Week 4.
