Poor timing might be the only thing stopping Raiders tight end Brock Bowers from winning the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is expected to win, and he will likely do so with ease.
However, Bowers deserves more attention for his incredible rookie season, which is the best ever by a tight end and among the best for any first-year pass catcher.
“Just look at the records and look at the stats,” said Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce on Monday.
Bowers has 108 receptions for 1,144 yards, surpassing Mike Ditka’s 1,067-yard record set 63 years ago. Ditka, a Hall of Famer, achieved his record in 14 games, while Bowers has played 16. Still, no other tight end has been able to break Ditka’s record, even with the extra opportunities.
Bowers also broke Puka Nacua’s rookie record for most catches in a season, which was 105, set just last year.
Ditka is the only tight end ever to win the league’s top offensive rookie award, a title he is likely to keep.
The problem for Bowers is that he’s putting up these numbers on a Raiders team with only four wins, which is not in the playoff race and can only spoil other teams’ chances.
His record-breaking performance came in Sunday’s 25-10 win over New Orleans, a game broadcast only in the markets of the two teams involved, due to the lack of national interest in two struggling teams.
Daniels further strengthened his case by leading Washington to a 30-24 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday night, a game with playoff implications. The Commanders are now 11-5 after finishing 4-13 last season, and Daniels, the second overall pick in this year’s draft, is a big reason for that impressive turnaround.
Daniels would be a deserving winner of the top offensive rookie award, but that doesn’t mean Bowers’ accomplishments should be overlooked.
Both players are having historic seasons, and perhaps in another year, Bowers would have taken home the honor.
“We ask the tight ends to do a lot,” said Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell. “I think tight end is one of the hardest positions to play. You have to learn a lot in the run game and pass game. I am super proud of him and I can’t say enough good things about the guy.”
