Raiders TE Brock Bowers to miss opener after meniscus trim surgery

The Raiders will open the season without their most dynamic offensive weapon. All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim Tuesday in Dallas with Dr. Daniel Cooper and is expected to miss "a game or two," per a joint report from Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport that landed Wednesday afternoon.

The injury surfaced late in the process — Bowers got banged up "a little in camp," the issue was diagnosed last week, and surgery was scheduled once the trim was chosen over the alternative.

A meniscus repair would have effectively ended Bowers' season, so the trim carries real upside for Las Vegas despite the immediate hole. The expectation is a short absence — the opener and possibly one more game — rather than a stint on injured reserve, and the team believes Bowers can beat the typical four-to-six-week recovery time for the procedure. Until he returns, the Raiders' passing game has to account for the loss of one of the league's most dynamic young tight ends in a Week 1 matchup that already loomed large.

What this means for the Raiders is that TE Michael Mayer was already going to be part of the offensive game plan, and now his role will grow without Brock Bowers. With Ashton Jeanty still recovering, the loss of Bowers will mean the young wide receiver room will need to replace production while they hope it's a quick turnaround, but Bowers also missed time last year with a knee injury, something to keep watch for.