When the Raiders drafted Brock Bowers with the 13th-overall pick in the 2024, it came as a surprise to many, in large part because of the presence on Michael Mayer, who the team traded up to take in the second round of the 2023 draft. .
Unfortunately, Mayer was forced to step away from the team in 2024 for personal reasons and became somewhat of a forgotten player moving into the 2025 offseason.
It didn’t help that Mayer was rumored to be on the trade block in February, but a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vinny Bonsignore began to shift the narrative in June.
“Mayer has shown up in tremendous shape and has been a standout at OTAs so far,” Las Vegas Review-Journal insider Vinny Bonsignore reported in June.
“It helps that he has a new quarterback in Geno Smith and offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly,” Bonsignore continued. “Mayer’s overall numbers will likely always be affected by Bowers, who had a record-breaking rookie season after being selected 13th overall in last year’s draft. But there’s no reason the Raiders can’t have two productive tight ends.”
Since June, however, it has started to sound like Mayer is going to be on the field a lot more than anyone was talking about a few months ago.
Mayer talked to members of the media last month and dropped a hint about Chip Kelly’s offense and a couple of personnel packages the Raiders have been working on in the offseason.
“With me and Brock [Bowers], it’s pretty interesting because we do a lot of 12 personnel stuff,” Mayer said. “You know, this spring we’ve also been doing a lot of 13 personnel, too, which has been awesome. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Based on reports from training camp, Mayer has been one of the highlights of camp and Raider Nation Radio’s Q Myers added to that sentiment on Monday
“Big Mike [Mayer] is looking good. We’ve all been waiting since he was drafted and the Raiders moved up in the second round to pick him up. We’ve been waiting for Big Mike to appear. He looks really good. He looked really good on Saturday,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders Squad Show podcast.
“He’s a great in OTAs. He looks great in mandatory minicamp. He looks great in training camp. He’s had a hell of an off season,” Myers continued. “So I hope that everything keeps trending in that right direction for Big Mike because if he does, that 12 personnel that we’re talking about is going to be nasty. And by the way, they’ve got Ian Thomas, as well, in that tight end room…”
“I expect to see a lot from the tight ends for the Raiders this year.”
x: @raidersbeat
Exactly.
Being from Notre Dame he showed Casper inspirations. Then he melted down missing a lot of games. Got himself all straightened out and is doing very well. We hope he has a great season but remember now he is under the microscope. Pull that bs again and we will ship you off somewhere that is -40. Get the picture?
Awesome! I remember the duo of Gronk and Hernandez for the Patriots and that was awesome. Raiders have a duo that could be even more potent than them but….with A. Jeanty in the backfield and J. Myers at WR. Dang this offense is going to be scary!