Silver Minings: Brock Bowers makes Pro Football Focus’ Top 101 players

Bowers was the No. 2 tight end on the list

Pro Football Focus released its Top 101 players of the 2024 season this week and the Las Vegas Raiders had one player make the cut, rookie tight end Brock Bowers, which should come as no surprise. Bowers was listed 40th overall as he put together a historic season using the site’s metrics.

“Bowers’ first year in the NFL was one for the record books,” Mason Cameron, Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick wrote. “His 88.4 PFF receiving grade is the highest ever recorded by a first-year tight end in the PFF era (since 2006), highlighted with record-breaking marks in receptions (112), yards after catch (596), first-down receptions (61) and contested catches (16). The latter also ranks among the top eight all-time at the position, placing him alongside the likes of Travis Kelce (2018) and Jimmy Graham (2017).”

The Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up was ahead of tight ends Trey McBride (42) of the Arizona Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews (75) but was the second-ranked player at the position behind George Kittle (13) from the San Francisco 49ers. PFF had Kittle graded higher as both a receiver (92.4) and run-blocker (70.8) as those figures led and ranked second among tight ends this year.

In Other Raiders’ Links:

• Malaki Starks film breakdown: see what the former Georgia safety and 2025 NFL Draft prospect could bring to Las Vegas.
• Malcolm Koonce free agency preview: “There’s a high likelihood Crosby and the Raiders aren’t the only team to notice the work ethic and progression Koonce has made since being picked in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft,” Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria wrote. “Koonce is set to have no shortage of suitors and he’d be wise to see what the market dictates his value at while listening to any overtures the Raiders make for his return.”
• Raiders listed as “best fit” for Sam Darnold: “The former No. 3 overall pick has certainly restored his image since a tumultuous five-year start with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, parlaying a year of tutelage with the San Francisco 49ers into a full-blown breakout with the Vikings,” CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote. “His poised and aggressive 35-touchdown showcase under Kevin O’Connell ultimately ended with a whimper, however, as he folded under pressure in Minnesota’s last — and most important — two games.”
• Las Vegas trades up for Shedeur Sanders in mock draft: “They have an extra third-round pick as a result of the Davante Adams trade, so they didn’t hesitate to ship one out to land their guy: Sanders,” The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed wrote. “Sanders has a strong relationship (and had an NIL deal in college) with minority owner Tom Brady, has already met owner Mark Davis and should be comfortable in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s system, which blends NFL and college concepts.”