Brock Bowers + Klint Kubiak: Why the Raiders May Build the Passing Game Around Him

Brock Bowers is expensive.

I'm still willing to pay for him.

The reason isn't just that Bowers is one of the best tight ends in football.

It's what Klint Kubiak appears to be building around him.

Kubiak Hasn't Been Subtle

Earlier this offseason, Kubiak called Bowers a "standard bearer" and said the Raiders have to get the most out of him.

Then we got to training camp.

Bucky Brooks watched an open Raiders practice and came away saying the offense clearly looked designed to rely heavily on two players:

Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.

The formations, shifts and quick throws were being used to create easy touches for them in the middle of the field.

That's what I want when I'm spending an early pick on a tight end.

I don't just want a talented player.

I want an offense actively trying to make him the problem the defense has to solve.

The Kittle Connection

Kubiak spent 2023 with San Francisco as the 49ers' offensive passing game specialist.

That was Kyle Shanahan's offense, so I'm not going to claim Kubiak created George Kittle.

But Kubiak was directly involved in a passing game where Kittle finished with:

• 65 receptions • 1,020 yards • 6 touchdowns

That's 15.7 yards per reception from a tight end.

Kittle didn't need 130 catches to destroy defenses.

San Francisco used formation, play action and personnel to create explosive opportunities for him.

Bowers can win in a similar variety of ways.

Again:

Bowers is not Kittle.

The important similarity is that neither has to be treated like a traditional stationary tight end.

Michael Mayer Doesn't Scare Me

Kubiak's history also includes plenty of heavier personnel.

Seattle used two-tight-end packages frequently last season, and Las Vegas has talked about finding ways to get Bowers and Michael Mayer on the field together.

I don't view that as automatically bad for Bowers.

If Mayer allows Vegas to show a heavy formation while Bowers moves around like a receiver, that's exactly the type of matchup manipulation I want.

A defense sees two tight ends and reacts with heavier personnel.

Then Bowers gets matched against a linebacker or safety.

Good luck.

Don't Forget What Bowers Already Did

As a rookie:

112 catches for 1,194 yards.

Then he played only 12 games last season and still finished with:

64 catches, 680 yards and 7 touchdowns.

We aren't projecting a breakout from somebody who hasn't done it.

We're projecting what happens when one of football's best young receiving weapons gets paired with a coach whose offense is designed around creating favorable matchups.

My Fantasy Read

If I'm going to pay for an early tight end, Bowers is exactly the profile I want.

There is obviously opportunity cost.

Taking Bowers means passing on a really good RB or WR.

But the upside is positional separation.

If Kubiak really does build the passing game from the inside out around Bowers, I'm getting:

elite talent + designed volume + positional advantage.

That's a combination I'm willing to pay for.