Much was made of the Las Vegas Raiders‘ depth chart featuring a 12-personnel lineup that had tight ends Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers listed as starters. However, through two games, it’s clear that Bowers is the TE1.
The No. 13 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has 15 catches for 156 yards in two games while Mayer has three catches for 14 yards. The Raiders used a second-round pick on Mayer just a year ago and he’s shown some flashes, but Bowers is going to be featured much more in the offense. If Las Vegas doesn’t have plans to get Mayer more involved in the offense, it could be wise to trade him while he still has value.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently pitched a trade that would send Mayer to the New York Jets for pass rusher Haason Reddick.
“To land Reddick, the Raiders could offer 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer,” Knox wrote in a September 14 column. “The former Notre Dame tight end has flashed some promise at the NFL level, but is likely stuck behind rookie Brock Bowers in Las Vegas’ priority order.
“… Tight end is one of the few positions on New York’s offensive depth chart that could clearly use a significant boost. Mayer possesses more upside than proven production, but he’d have a chance to supplant Tyler Conklin as Rodgers’ top receiving target at the position right away.”
Many of the trade rumors between the Raiders and Jets have surrounded wide receiver Davante Adams, but the trade pitched by Knox also makes sense for both sides. Las Vegas finds a replacement for the injured Malcolm Koonce while the Jets would get a starting-caliber tight end.
Haason Reddick Looking for New Contract
If a team trades for Reddick, they have to be prepared to give him a new contract. He’s already sat out two games while he waits for a new deal and that’s unlikely to change if he gets moved. The Raiders have $27.8 million in salary cap space right now, according to Over the Cap, so they have the available money to pay him.
The only potential issue is whether or not Las Vegas wants a long-term deal with Reddick. There still hasn’t been word yet on whether Koonce will play again this season and it doesn’t appear Tyree Wilson will miss significant time with a knee injury.
Koonce is also on an expiring contract so the Raiders may want to extend him over signing Reddick. Regardless, the Jets pass rusher has had 50.5 sacks combined the last four seasons so there’s no doubt he’d give a big boost to the defense.
Will Michael Mayer Find a Role in the Offense?
Mayer was highly touted coming out of Notre Dame in 2023 and many expected him to be a first-round pick. He ended up falling to the second-round when the Raiders scooped him up with the No. 35 pick.
However, he’s quickly losing snaps to Bowers. He’s only played 59% of the Raiders’ offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference, which is a big decrease from the 71% of snaps he played last season. Now, Mayer is more of a traditional tight end while Bowers is athletic enough to line up as a wide receiver and be utlitzed all over the field. It’s possible the Raiders still have plans for Mayer to be invovled but the offense still needs more time to gel.
