If newly signed quarterback Kirk Cousins starts the season under center for the Las Vegas Raiders over presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, that would be a clear win for star tight end Brock Bowers.
Dating back to , Cousins has excelled with multi-tight end sets and has found production from the position at each stop. In D.C., it was Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis. In Minnesota, Kyle Rudolph, T.J. Hockenson and Irv Smith thrived. Last year, when he took over late in Atlanta, it helped unlock the best of Kyle Pitts.
Bowers' talent surpasses them all.
"Yeah, I think he may be the best tight end in football," Cousins said of Bowers in an . "Hopefully, we can make that a reality this fall. Gotta keep him healthy, just like some of the other great players on this team. But he gives us an ability to use a lot of different personnel groupings. I think that can allow us to be very creative with how we attack defenses.
"I've always really enjoyed playing with talented tight ends because of the curveball that it throws at defenses. I expect Brock to be as good of a curveball as I've ever played with. Can't wait to see how we can use him and to get on the grass with him. Even routes on air, I think it's going to be exciting to see a guy like that go to work."
In Bowers' rookie campaign, he set records for receptions (112) and yards (1,194) by a first-year tight end. Last season, injuries relegated the matchup nightmare to 12 games, and he put up 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns. Even playing fewer games, Bowers still finished top 10 among tight ends in each category (ninth in catches, eighth in yards and fifth in TDs).
In Klint Kubiak's system, Bowers should continue his ascent toward being the top TE in football, regardless of whether it's Cousins or Mendoza under center for the bulk of the season.
