Mailbag: What will Raiders’ offense look like after drafting Brock Bowers?

Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week

We’re a week removed from the 2024 NFL Draft and, in typical Las Vegas Raiders’ fashion, the draft came with some controversy. The Raiders did not take a quarterback last weekend and went with a ‘best player available’ approach in the first round by selecting Georiga tight end Brock Bowers a year after using a second-rounder on Michael Mayer.

That’s led to some questions about what Las Vegas’ offense will look like moving forward, leading us into this week’s mailbag.

Question: Will the Raiders’ offense by a hybrid this season; 11, 12 personnel, four wide, etc.?

Answer: With how much capital they’ve used at tight end, I’d imagine we’ll see the Raiders use more 12 personnel than anything else. How often they deviate from that will depend on what role the coaching staff sees Tre Tucker playing. If the staff views Tucker as just a deep threat, then their usage of 11 personnel will decrease and be more of a third-down package.

On a similar note, unless Michael Gallup or someone else emerges as a quality fourth wide receiver, we probably won’t see Las Vegas use much 10 personnel next season. They might line up in four-wide formations but with Bowers in the slot since he’s a unique route-runner for the position.

The Raiders don’t have much depth at wide receiver so I don’t think they’ll run a lot of traditional four-wide sets, barring Gallup or another wideout stepping up in training camp and the preseason.

For clarity, personnel groupings refer to what positions the players on the field are listed as and not necessarily where they line up in the formation. So, if Bowers and lined up as a slot receiver, he’d still count as a tight end when it comes to the personnel (11, 12, 22, etc.) group.

The only variance would be if the defense wants to treat Bowers like a wide receiver, but that would be specific to that defense/team. What I mean by that is even if Bowers is in the game, the defense will treat it as if the Raiders are in 11 or 21 personnel instead of 12 or 22 and stay in their nickel or dime package rather than swapping out a defensive back for a second or third linebacker.

Q: Do you see the Raiders going after a fullback like these other Kyle Shannahan offenses or do you see us using Brock in the backfield?

A: Luke Getsy did carry a fullback with the Chicago Bears last season, Khari Blasigame. However, Blasigame took fewer than 200 snaps last season and a little less than half were at fullback, according to Pro Football Focus. So, the position isn’t a big part of Getsy’s offense or at least it wasn’t last year.

Bowers will probably used in the backfield similarly to how the San Francisco 49ers and Shannahan get Kyle Juszczyk involved in the passing game. The Georgia product has experience operating out of the backfield in college and putting him in motion to get a head of steam can help with his run blocking.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Part of what makes Bowers such a unique offensive weapon is that he can be used in so many different ways, this being one of them. To clarify, I still think his primary role will be as an in-line tight end and slot receiver, so he likely won’t be used as a fullback at the same volume as Juszczyk, just on similar concepts as a change of pace.

Maybe Las Vegas brings in a blocking fullback like Jakob Johnson, but I don’t think they need to since someone like Johnson would play a small role in the offense.

Q: Any positions you see the Raiders targeting after the draft? Do you think they are waiting for some June 1 cuts?

A: On a similar note, I could see them going after one of the available veteran cornerbacks, like Stephon Gilmore, Steven Nelson or Xavien Howard. At this stage in free agency, neither of them should be terribly expensive so it turns into a ‘Why not?’ situation.

They could be waiting to see who gets let go after June 1 to make a move, however, there probably won’t be too many notable players available since teams can use the post-June 1 designation and let the player go at the beginning of the offseason in March. For example, Las Vegas used a post-June 1 designation on Jimmy Garoppolo, allowing him to sign with the Los Angeles Rams.

A trade over the summer could happen though. The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov listed cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and James Bradberry as ‘surprise’ players who could get traded after the draft.

According to Over The Cap, the New Orleans Saints would save just under $4 million — but take on about $10.6 million in dead cap — by dealing Lattimore after June 1. Is that savings worth it? Maybe not, but they did just use a second-round pick on Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Bradberry’s contract is structured similarly, just with smaller figures — $1.2 million in savings with $3.1 in dead money, per OTC — and the Philadelphia Eagles spent their first two picks on corners last weekend. Also, Bradberry played for Patrick Graham with the New York Giants.

A: I agree that Nelson would be a good option. Gilmore isn’t the player he used to be, but he’s still solid with a 71.2 PFF grade and 11 combined interceptions and PBUs last season. Out of those three, I’m the most skeptical of Howard with his injury history, and the same goes with Adoree’ Jackson.

A: I got the question about why the Raiders haven’t signed a corner a few times.

It could be because they want to see if someone gets cut or if they can get a trade done next month. Also, the front office might want to wait until they get the cap relief from Grappolo’s contract. Granted, the Raiders have plenty of space now, assuming those free agents’ contract demands aren’t too high.

I’m not saying I agree with this and I’d like them to sign a veteran corner, but I could see Telesco and Pierce being happy with the cornerbacks they have despite what everyone else thinks about the position. I’m saying it’s true, but it could be a reason for the inactivity.

On a similar note, I do feel that TT and AP are confident with Thayer Munford Jr. at right tackle. Munford has been solid in his role over the last two years and the free-agent options aren’t great at that spot.

A: According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Giants and Minnesota Vikings tried to move up to No. 3. New York offered New England the sixth pick and sixth-rounder this year and next year’s first while Minnesota was willing to give up three firsts; Nos. 11 and 23 and their 2025 first-rounder.

Q: If Aidan O’Connell gets the starting job at QB do you think Antonio Pierce will give him a little more freedom this go around? Wanted to know because hearing reports that AP told him not to take certain risks last year.

A: Typically, when a young quarterback gets more starting experience, he gets more trust and freedom from the head coach and offensive coordinator. So, I would think O’Connell would be able to gamble a little more if he wins the job, but that depends on how confident Pierce and Getsy are in him, which is the unknown variable in this equation.

A: I think a big part of it is Gardner Minshew is the new guy so people gravitate toward him because it’s something different, especially since he’s a veteran with starting experience. Also, the $10 million of incentives in Minshew’s contract are likely tied to starts/playing time, and Pierce has said it’s going to be an open competition, so there going to be people in both player’s corners.

Personally, O’Connell is my pick to win the job at this point. I think he has more potential and upside but, obviously, it’s not like he blew me or anyone else away last season. So, I’m not going to confidently say that he will win the job.

A: Ignoring need, Bowers is the better player between him and Taliese Fuaga. Positional value would favor a right tackle over a tight end but that’s the beauty of Bowers, he can do more than a traditional tight end. I would have liked and been happy with Fuaga at 13, but I really like what Telesco did by adding a dynamic playmaker and getting Jackson Powers-Johnson to help the offensive line.

I know I didn’t talk about Bowers at all and only touched on Powers-Johnson a little bit heading into the draft, but that’s primarily because I didn’t think the Raiders would have a chance at getting either player when they did. Also, I assumed they would opt for a need in the first round but, lesson learned, Telesco is a bit of a wild card which isn’t a bad thing.

After heavily diving into his tape this past week, I’m excited about what Bowers can bring to the team.

That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to [email protected] or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays.