The Raiders could be down two tight ends on their trip to Indianapolis this this weekend. After Raiders columnist Paul Gutierrez reported that Michael Mayer would miss tomorrow’s game with a concussion, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added that starting tight end Brock Bowers status for the game has been trending down as he’s been battling a knee injury. 
While head coach Pete Carroll had seemed confident that the second-year pass catcher would be available, his absences from Thursday and Friday’s practices didn’t bode well for Bowers. While nothing official has been decided on his availability for tomorrow, Rapoport claims that “Bowers is trending toward not playing” against the Colts, leaving Las Vegas without their first- and second-string tight ends.
This leaves the Raiders with Ian Thomas and Carter Runyon as the only healthy tight ends on the 53-man roster. This is Thomas’ first year in Las Vegas after spending the first seven years of his career in Carolina. He’s never been much of an impact receiver in the passing game, but he can contribute to that area of the game. He’s appeared in all four games this season as a third option behind Bowers and Mayer, and he made his first start for the Raiders last week in Mayer’s first absence.
After being elevated and appearing in his first NFL game last weekend, Runyon was signed to the active roster from the practice squad this week. The undrafted rookie out of Towson could find himself in the TE2 role for Las Vegas if Bowers cannot go tomorrow. After only appearing on special teams in his NFL game, Runyon could figure into the offense in his second.
The Raiders added a bit more depth at the position from the practice squad today by calling up Albert Okwuegbunam as a standard gameday elevation. Okwuegbunam has a chance to appear in his first game since 2023.
They’re in trouble, didn’t have many offensive weapons to begin with. Now OL problems and Geno Smith throwing INTs like candy.