Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers is excited about the work he and his teammates are putting inzed during organized team activities this offseason.
Really, he’s thrilled just to be there at all.
Bowers missed most of the early portion of last year’s program because he returned to college to get his degree from Georgia.
“It feels a lot different because last year I was back in school,” he said during an appearance at Bank of America’s Golf with Us Clinic at Las Vegas Golf Club on Thursday. “So to be able to start with OTAs and really get into the routine with all the guys has been good. It’s been really fun.
“And there’s definitely a new feeling and a new buzz around the building. Everyone is just ready to go, so I’m excited about that.”
New coach Klint Kubiak and a slew of free-agent signings are a major reason for the optimism despite the team coming off a 3-14 season.
Bowers said he watched what the Seahawks did with their tight ends, particularly AJ Barner, and liked how Kubiak was able to utilize the position in his offense.
“They used tight ends a bunch,” he said. “Barner is a beast. I loved watching him play and what they were able to do with him.”
While Bowers and the Raiders are in the building phase and starting to learn the fundamentals of Kubiak’s offense, they are doing it without the projected top pick in quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
While he may very well be a part of the team next week after the NFL Draft, the offense is in the hands of veteran Kirk Cousins for now.
Bowers, who exercised restraint when asked by one of the young golfers who he wanted the Raiders to choose with the top pick, said he had not heard any of the clips of the immense praise Cousins heaped on him during his initial round of press interviews after signing with the team.
That included Cousins calling him the best tight end in the league.
“I haven’t seen that, but he’s the man,” Bowers said, smiling. “Having him around the building has been great because he brings great energy and attitude. I’m excited to work with him.”
He’s equally intrigued by the addition of former Georgia teammates Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean to the linebacking corps.
“Adding Quay and Nakobe is big-time,” Bowers said. “It’s huge for our defense. They bring a presence out there, and they are both really smart football guys.”
Bowers has become a bit of a golf guy too, despite not picking up the game until college.
He’s part of a group of Raiders that regularly plays in the offseason, a group that has gone so far as to actually create a mini-tour spearheaded by punter AJ Cole.
He was on the course with some much smaller individuals on Wednesday, working with about 60 Las Vegas youth at a clinic designed to make the game accessible to more people.
“Ultimately, we’re trying to break down some of the barriers to youth discovering the game,” said Bank of America Las Vegas president Al Welch. “This program is all about getting kids into golf and making it affordable and accessible. We thought it would be a lot of fun to have someone like Brock who is so recognizable to get the kids excited and him being here is huge for us. His interest in the game and him talking about his love of it can bring kids to the sport.”
The clinic kicked off the program, which provides clubs and one-year memberships at multiple courses where kids can play for $5 and is open for signups at bofa.com/GolfWithUs.
More than 100,000 kids participated last year with a goal of 150,000 this year.
Bowers didn’t really discover golf until college, but quickly found a love for it. He does several charity events each year and thought this one was very worthwhile.
“I think it’s important to be involved with kids in the community and getting them into sports is a big thing for me because sports really changed my life,” he said. “Hopefully, they can find something to be passionate about.”
Like Cousins is about playing with him.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.