Raiders TE Brock Bowers Will Not Play In Week 5
OCTOBER 5: ESPN’s Adam Schefter offers some more specifics on Bowers’ knee, reporting that last year’s runner-up in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting has been playing through a bone bruise on his knee as well as a PCL injury. Naturally, those ailments have affected his performance, and doctors say rest is the only remedy. Bowers was simply unwilling to sideline himself until now.
Schefter adds that the Raiders consider Bowers week-to-week and will reevaluate him in the coming days to see if he can suit up in Week 6. He is officially inactive for Week 5.
OCTOBER 4: 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 some if needed. 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 earlier this week. The undrafted rookie out of Towson could find himself in the TE2 role for Las Vegas if Bowers can’t 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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/25
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: OLB DJ Johnson
- Waived/injured: WR Dalevon Campbell
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: OT Brant Banks
Houston Texans
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: OL Jarrett Kingston
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: LB Buddy Johnson
- Waived: LB Cameron McGrone
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: TE Carter Runyon
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed off Steelers’ practice squad: S Sebastian Castro
- Placed on IR: S Rashad Wisdom
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/27/25
Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: DT Jordan Phillips
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: OLB Boogie Basham, G Brandon Walton
Chicago Bears
- Signed from practice squad: LB Carl Jones
- Elevated: TE Stephen Carlson, DT Jonathan Ford
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: WR Jalen Cropper
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: WR Jackson Meeks
- Placed on IR: S Daniel Thomas
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: G Lecitus Smith
Houston Texans
- Elevated: CB Myles Bryant, CB D’Angelo Ross
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: CB Mike Hilton, G Josh Sills
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Quintin Morris, WR Austin Trammell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: CB Kevin Knowles, DT Brodric Martin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: TE Albert Okwuegbunam, TE Carter Runyon
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: T Foster Sarell, RB Kimani Vidal
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Darius Harris, C Brenden Jaimes
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: DE Fadil Diggs, LB Nephi Sewell
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Eli Apple
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: LB Curtis Jacobs, RB Jordan Mims
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Antonio Hamilton, WR Tay Martin
With Colts cornerback Kenny Moore presumed to potentially miss a few weeks, the recent signee, Hilton, will get his opportunity to supplement the team’s secondary. He may be able to earn an official spot on the 53-man roster with an impactful game. Similarly, Cropper may be able to get into his first NFL game since going undrafted in 2023 as he gets elevated to a receiving corps that will sorely miss CeeDee Lamb.
Morris is getting called up for the third time for Jacksonville. If the Jaguars intend for him to appear in another game after this week, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.
Denver Broncos
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Levelle Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, QB Sam Ehlinger, TE Caleb Lohner, C Joe Michalski, DT Jordan Miller, CB Quinton Newsome, WR A.T. Perry, FB Adam Prentice, CB Jaden Robinson, DB Keidron Smith, CB Reese Taylor, OL Calvin Throckmorton, LB Jordan Turner, S Delarrin Turner-Yell, LB Garret Wallow
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Cole Christiansen, S Mike Edwards, Chukwuebuka Godrick, G C.J. Hanson, WR Jimmy Holiday, DT Coziah Izzard, CB Kevin Knowles, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Hal Presley, CB Melvin Smith, RB Carson Steele, TE Robert Tonyan, DT Marlon Tuipulotu, TE Tre Watson
Las Vegas Raiders
Signed:
Claimed:
- LB Brennan Jackson (from Rams)
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Alex Bachman, RB Chris Collier, S Terrell Edmunds, DE Jahfari Harvey, WR Sheldrick Jackson, LB Matt Jones, DT Treven Ma’ae, G Atonio Mafi, QB Cam Miller, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, TE Carter Runyon, WR Justin Shorter, OL Laki Tasi, S Trey Taylor, CB Greedy Vance, T Dalton Wagner, S JT Woods
Los Angeles Chargers
Signed:
Placed on IR:
- CB Eric Rogers
Signed to practice squad:
- G Karsen Barnhart, DL TeRah Edwards, CB Harrison Hand, WR JaQuae Jackson, S Tony Jefferson, RB Emany Johnson, C Josh Kaltenberger, LS Rick Lovato, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines, CB Myles Purchase, OLB Garmon Randolph, WR Jalen Reagor, T David Sharpe, G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei, RB Kimani Vidal, TE Thomas Yassmin
Raiders Make Final Moves Down To 53 Players
After making 18 cuts on Monday, the Raiders the following 22 moves to trim their roster down to 53-players, per a team announcement:
Waived
- DT Zach Carter
- RB Chris Collier
- DE Jahfari Harvey
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- LB Matt Jones
- DT Treven Ma’ae
- G Atonio Mafi
- RB Sincere McCormick
- WR Tommy Mellott
- QB Cam Miller
- DE Ovie Oghoufo
- TE Carter Runyon
- WR Justin Shorter
- OL Laki Tasi
- S Trey Taylor
- CB Greedy Vance
- OT Dalton Wagner
- S JT Woods
Released
Placed on IR (designated for return)
Backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell is projected to be out for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a fractured wrist, but curiously, he will not land on injured reserve with a return designation. The Raiders may be waiting to make that move in case they need to open up a roster spot for a waiver claim, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal. Las Vegas also kept offensive tackle Thayer Munford, who was a risk to get claimed on waivers, according to Bonsignore.
Despite a pre-draft endorsement from Tom Brady and O’Connell’s injury, Miller was unable to hang on the 53-man roster as a third-string quarterback. The Raiders will need a backup quarterback to start the year, and Miller is an obvious candidate to return to the practice squad for early-season elevations as O’Connell heals. They could also scour the waiver wire and then transfer O’Connell to the IR.
Johnson suffered a broken fibula in early August, but it was not expected to end his season. His designation to return confirms that projection, but he will still be sidelined for a minimum of four games to start the year.
Raiders Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents
The Raiders have signed 15 undrafted free agents, bringing their rookie class to 26 players. Here are Las Vegas’ UDFA signings:
- Tank Booker, DT (SMU)
- Dominic Boyd, OT (Georgia Southern)
- Hudson Clark, S (Arkansas)
- Parker Clements, OT (Virginia Tech)
- Pat Conroy, TE (Old Dominion)
- Mello Dotson, CB (Kansas)
- Zakhari Franklin, WR (Illinois)
- Jarrod Hufford, C (Iowa State)
- John Humphrey, CB (USC)
- Matt Jones, LB (Baylor)
- Jah Joyner, DE (Minnesota)
- Treven Ma’ae, DT (Baylor)
- Carter Runyon, TE (Towson)
- Greedy Vance, CB (USC)
- Jailin Walker, LB (Indiana)
Dotson was a four-year starter at Kansas opposite fellow undrafted Jayhawks corner Cobee Bryant. Dotson isn’t an elite athlete but has a natural feel for shadowing receivers and excellent ball skills. He recorded 27 passes defended and nine interceptions in the last two years, including four pick-sixes that showcased his playmaking instincts on and with the ball.
Joyner recorded 12 sacks and 13 tackles for loss for Minnesota in the last two years, though 2024 was his only season as a starter. He has an enticing frame (6-foot-4, 262 pounds) with 34-inch arms that he uses in a variety of ways, most effectively as a run defender setting the edge. He’s a solid but unspectacular athlete who will need to refine his pass-rushing plan and accelerate his processing to NFL speed to earn a roster spot.
The Raiders signed him to a deal that includes $150K guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Similarly, Wilson tells us that the team wanted to make sure they landed Clements’ signature and offered him $75K in guarantees to make it happen.
Walker spent three years at James Madison before transferring to Indiana in 2024. Despite facing better competition, he posted career-highs in tackles (82), tackles for loss (10), sacks (2.0), and passes defended (10). He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at his pro day but weighs just 219 pounds. Walker explodes downhill against the run and as a blitzer and could push for a roster spot in Las Vegas as a special teams contributor.