Brock Bowers and Geno Smith needed each other in their careers more than they ever even knew, and it showed against 49ers originally appeared on A to Z Sports.

It’s been a long, long time since the Las Vegas Raiders had an elite offensive duo with their quarterback and a weapon. In 2025, they could have several that qualify, but one specific one that has to do with Geno Smith and Brock Bowers.

Every team needs an elite duo with their quarterback, whether it be a Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski type of duo, or even a Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase type of duo, that the Cincinnati Bengals have. The Raiders haven’t had that in some time, especially when it comes to the tight end position.

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They had the tight end part of the equation last year with their rookie Brock Bowers. In his second year, he’s already the best tight end in the league; now he just needs someone good to throw him the ball and complete the other end of that equation. Geno Smith is that.

For Smith, he has never really played with a guy like Bowers. He’s played with D.K. Metcalf and other really good receivers, but never really an elite tight end. Now he has one, and hopefully, now the Raiders have that QB-TE duo that teams like the Kansas City Chiefs in the division have.

And, in a way, the two of them need each other more than they ever even knew, and we are already seeing that, as they appear to have an elite connection brewing.

Geno Smith and Brock Bowers connect for a highlight play vs. the 49ers in the preseason

Now, I know what everyone is going to say – I know it’s just a preseason game, but can’t we have a little fun here? Not to mention, the Raiders’ offense to start the game was their starters, and the 49ers’ defense to start that preseason game was their starters, or most of them.

And yet, Brock Bowers still “mossed” the defender, as Randy Moss would say, after catching a high pass from Geno Smith. And, it was one of the nicest catches we have ever seen Bowers make.

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It would appear that the two of them have a pretty good chemistry already, because as we know from all reporters on-site every day at training camp, those kinds of plays happen between those two all the time in practice.

And if that’s true, this could only end up being something that we see all the time.

This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.