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Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer Can Change the Raiders’ Offense
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- Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer Can Change the Raiders’ Offense
The Raiders offense has been flowing through Brock Bowers since he returned in Week 3. But Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer showed Las Vegas could have more than one option in the passing game.
Tucker led the Raiders with 97 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including an excellent diving catch late in the fourth quarter. Mayer tied Bowers for the team lead in targets with nine, but actually outgained Bowers by putting up 95 yards.
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Bowers caught four passes for 70 yards – a solid performance, but his worst game of the season.
The Raiders have a superstar in Bowers. He is the best player on the team, and defenses know it. Most games Bowers can still put up monster numbers regardless of the extra attention. But for the Raiders to have a successful season, other pass catchers will have to step up.
The two best options are Tucker and Mayer.
Tucker is the undisputed top wide receiver on the team. In Week 2, when Bowers was out, Tucker's connection with quarterback Kirk Cousins spurred Las Vegas to a win. He had five catches for 119 yards in the win over the Chargers.
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The fourth-year wide receiver provides the best deep threat on the roster. Even though Cousins struggles to hit passes down the field, he can still use Tucker to make defenses pay.
Mayer is the Raiders' best underneath option if Bowers is taken away. Mayer has never had a 100-yard game, but he has two games this season with at least seven catches and 80 yards. He is an easy target for Cousins to find.
Running back Ashton Jeanty can certainly mix in as a productive pass catcher. But he now has five drops on the season, tied for second-most in the NFL, limiting his ability to help the offense.
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Otherwise, the rest of the pass catchers are not providing value. Jalen Nailor returned from injury in Week 6, but only caught one pass for nine yards. He has been one of the bigger disappointments from the Raiders' offseason.
This offense should run through Bowers as much as possible. But when defenses can slow down the Raiders' best player, Tucker and Mayer need to step up.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
