News Raiders Team Notes

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Michael Mayer, Eric Stokes practicing Wednesday

The Las Vegas Raiders got encouraging news Wednesday when they kicked off the practice week to prepare for Sunday’s Week 5 game at the Indianapolis Colts on the injury front.

According to ESPN, both tight end Michael Mayer and cornerback Eric Stokes were on the practice field Wednesday.

#Raiders TE Michael Mayer (concussion) and CB Eric Stokes (knee) are practicing.

— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) October 1, 2025

Mayer missed a Week 4 home loss to the Chicago Bears with a concussion he suffered early in Week 3 at the Washington Commanders. Before practice Wednesday, Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll said he was uncertain if Mayer will be able to play against the Colts. Surely, the fact that he was on the practice field to start the practice week is a good sign. He still may have some steps to clear in the concussion protocol.

Stokes, a starter, hurt his knee against the Bears and didn’t finish the game. Carroll said Wednesday Stokes said he feels good, but the team will ease him back to work this week in practice.

Meanwhile, Carroll said second-year guard Jackson Powers-Johnson will play Sunday. That’s no surprise since he played well in Week 4.

Mayer, Stokes and star tight end Brock Bowers (who has been dealing with a knee injury since Week 1) were limited in practice Wednesday. Backup cornerback Decamerion Richardson practiced fully after not playing the past two games.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ichael-mayer-eric-stokes-practicing-wednesday

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Malcolm Koonce returns to 2023 form against Bears

It’s been a long road back from the torn ACL that cost Malcolm Koonce the entire 2024 season. While he was cleared to play and participated in the Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason practices and training camp, Koonce didn’t look like he was quite at 100 percent yet and got off to a slow start.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders’ No. 2 pass-rusher had just six pressures on 60 pass rush snaps in Weeks 1 through 3 combined. However, he took a big step toward returning to his 2023 form last Sunday against the Chicago Bears, nearly doubling his pressure total for the season with five on just 28 pass-rush snaps. That tied for the 12th-most among edge defenders for the week, and Koonce’s 26.9 percent win rate also ranked 12th, per PFF.

Perhaps even more significant, Koonce had a strong game against the run, too. His 77.8 PFF run-defense grade was third-best at his position, trailing league leader and teammate Maxx Crosby by just 1.4 points. Granted, the former only recorded 10 snaps as a run defender, but managed to come up with two defensive stops despite the limited opportunities.

So, let’s break down the defensive end’s best performance of the season to date.

Malcolm Koonce started to look like his old self on Sunday, recording a 26.9% pass-rush win rate per PFF

He had a handful of nice reps turning speed to power, like this one #Raiders pic.twitter.com/9EPLh2Sz1J

— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2025

The primary reason why Koonce had success on Sunday was that he had a handful of quality reps turning speed to power as a pass-rusher, and the clip above was the best of the bunch.

Chicago puts a tight end and a wide receiver in a reduced split (or near the offensive line) on his side, forcing him to honor the running game or anticipate a chip block post-snap. That’s why Koonce initially eyes the tight end before attacking the left tackle, even though the chip doesn’t come.

Once the tight end releases on the route, Koonce gets his eyes back inside and does a great job of planting his outside foot in the ground to change directions and getting three points of contact (two hands and a facemask) on the tackle’s chest to walk the tackle into quarterback Caleb Williams’ lap.

Granted, Williams ends up completing the pass here. But he at least had to get the ball out quickly, and it went for a short gain on first and 15, keeping the offense behind the sticks.

Malcolm Koonce swims the chip block and beats the LT's hands to win around the edge and force Williams to scramble

Would like to see him finish and get the sack, but this is an encouraging rep from Koonce #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/2I7jRGufPV

— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2025

This time, the Bears do chip block him with the tight end, but the pass-rusher is ready for it and uses a swim move to avoid the contact. Now, it’s a matter of beating the tackle, and he does a great job of using his hands to defeat the tackle’s hands and win around the edge. That forces Williams to scramble and throw on the run, leading to an incompletion.

Granted, I would like to see Koonce finish his pass-rush move with a rip so that he keeps the offensive linemen from pushing him past the quarterback, while also helping him bend and corner at the top of the rush to finish the rep with a sack. Regardless, this is an encouraging rep for the fifth-year pro moving forward, as he showcases another way that he can win when rushing the passer.

Malcolm Koonce with the cross-chop for another pressure #Raiders pic.twitter.com/32tWxpwpUB

— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2025

There isn’t too much to the rep above; it’s just a clean win by the edge rusher.

The Bears’ tackle doesn’t get enough depth on his pass set and has to open his hips/the gate early, creating a short corner on the edge. Koonce takes advantage by having a perfectly timed cross-chop to make contact with Williams as Williams lets the ball go.

The problem is that the coverage didn’t hold up, so it goes for naught, and Chicago gets the first down. However, like the one before it, these types of reps will pay off later and lead to sacks.

Not gonna make the highlight reel, but this is a great job of setting the edge by Malcolm Koonce to help force the RB to cut up the field and into Devin White.

Also a great rep by Laulu #Raiders pic.twitter.com/0XGs6SpRHB

— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2025

Shifting gears to Koonce defending the run, the clip above isn’t going to make the highlight reel at the end of the year, but it’s sound fundamental football from Koonce.

Chicago runs mid zone where the running back’s aiming point is the B-gap, and the left tackle’s job is to widen the edge defender. However, Koonce does a great job of taking on the tackle’s block with a wide base, good pad level and tight hands. That allows him to hold ground and get extension on the block, effectively setting the edge.

Combined with Jonah Laulu getting penetration against the center, that forces the running back to cutbackside and into the unblocked defender, Devin White, who makes the tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Malcolm Koonce gambles by going inside the TE's block, but wins and makes the tackle for a 1-yard again #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/mbRRy2P8RN

— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2025

Finally, we’ll wrap up with one of Koonce’s run stops.

The Bears motion a wide receiver across the formation, which takes cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly out of the box as they run outside zone right at Koonce. So, the defensive end doesn’t have the edge support behind him that he had before the receiver started moving, and he takes a big gamble by working inside of the tight end’s block rather than staying outside to force the running back to cut up the field.

However, the risky decision pays off as Koonce defeats the tight end’s block by winning at the point of attack and using a swim move to get penetration in the backfield before making the tackle for a short gain. Like a true Las Vegan, Koonce put all of his money on black and the gamble paid off here.

---

As referenced above, Koonce still has room for improvement to take some of these reps from good to great. Also, stacking strong performances on top of each other will be the true measure of whether or not he’s “back”. But Sunday was certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to him returning to the 2023 form, where he racked up eight sacks in the Raiders’ final nine games of the season.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...4/raiders-malcolm-koonce-bears-film-breakdown

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Brock Bowers appears to suffer setback, Maxx Crosby listed on injury report

Ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, the Las Vegas Raiders released Thursday’s injury report, and tight end Brock Bowers (knee) was listed as a non-participant while defensive end Maxx Crosby (knee) was limited.

#Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) did not practice on Thursday. DE Maxx Crosby (knee) was limited. pic.twitter.com/uYP3G1BnB0

— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) October 2, 2025

Bowers has been dealing with the knee injury since the end of the season opener against the New England Patriots. He hasn’t missed a game yet, but his production has notably dipped over the last three weeks. Also, it appears that he may have suffered a setback. Bowers was a full participant in all three practices leading up to last week’s matchup against the Chicago Bears, but was limited on Wednesday and sat out on Thursday.

Fellow tight end Michael Mayer (concussion) did sit out against Chicago, but has returned to the field this week, albeit on a limited basis. The Raiders leaned heavily on third-string tight end Ian Thomas when Mayer was out, and would likely go a similar route if Bowers can’t play in Indianapolis.

Las Vegas could also turn to undrafted rookie Carter Runyon or Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., both of whom were called up from the practice squad last week. Runyon is currently on the 53-man roster, taking the open spot after left tackle Kolton Miller was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Crosby wasn’t listed on Wednesday’s injury report at all, but popped up on the report the following day. Granted, the defensive end still participated in the session, providing optimism that he’ll be ready to go on Sunday.

To round out Thursday’s injury report, linebacker Brennan Jackson (foot) also didn’t participate in practice, wide receiver Justin Shorter (illness) was upgraded to limited, cornerback Decamrion Richardson (hamstring) was a full participant for the second day in a row, and cornerback Eric Stokes (knee) was limited in back-to-back sessions.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...aiders-injury-report-brock-bowers-maxx-crosby

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

The Stone Forsythe file

Backup Stone Forsythe is expected to be inserted into the Las Vegas Raiders’ starting lineup at left tackle with standout Kolton Miller out for an extended period with a serious ankle injury.

Let’s take a look at Forsythe:

Size:

6-8, 307 pounds.

NFL experience:|

Forsythe is entering his fifth NFL season. He spent his first four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He signed with the New York Giants as a free agent and was released. The Raiders signed him as a free agent, replacing tackle Thayer Munford. Forsythe has started NFL 14 games, with eight coming in 2023. He started five games for the Seahawks in 2024.

College:

Forsythe went to Florida. He was a sixth-round draft choice of the Seahawks in 2021.

Raiders ties:

He spent three seasons in Seattle with Raiders’ head coach Pete Carroll and some assistants. They have seen him start several games.

2025 playing time:

Forsythe, who turns 28 in December, had played four snaps in a total of three games on offense and has played 15 snaps in four games on special teams.

Who is he trying to hold off?

Rookie Charles Grant. The third-round draft pick from William & Mary is considered a strong prospect, but he is raw and the former wrestler will need time to groom. But Raiders coach Pete Carroll did say Grant, who has not been active this season, had progressed well in practice and may soon be ready to push Forsythe while Miller is out. But Forsythe will have the opportunity to keep the job while Miller is recovering.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ews-stone-forsythe-kolton-mliller-left-tackle

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Don’t expect a Raiders’ quarterback competition

The word competition is thrown around so much in the Pete Carroll era, “comPete” became a term to describe the Las Vegas Raiders head coach’s philosophy.

We saw this manifest in a variety of ways, namely, Jordan Meredith winning the starting center gig and Jackson Powers-Johnson shifting to right guard and fighting for the gig with veteran Alex Cappa. Defensively, Kyu Blu Kelly impressed Carroll and his coaching staff so much, Kelly is now a starting outside cornerback. And, more recently, veteran running back Raheem Mostert ascended past Zamir White and was active in his first game as a Raider this past Sunday.

But what about quarterback?

After all, Geno Smith leads the league with seven interceptions thrown, is below the league average completion percentage of 65.3 percent at 63.8 percent, and is the fifth-most sacked signal caller in the NFL at 12. The 35-year-old quarterback is coming off a two-touchdowns, three-interception outing in a 25-24 Week 4 home loss to the Chicago Bears. And, just two weeks ago, Smith threw three picks with no touchdowns in a 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

#Raiders QB Geno Smith's 7 INTs have come on downfield passes of 10+ air yards — 3rd-most by any quarterback thru the first four weeks of any season in @NextGenStats era (since 2016).

He has not completed a downfield pass at home this season, going 0 for 17 with 6 INTs.

— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) October 1, 2025

Also, take this into consideration: Joe Flacco, who is second in the league with six interceptions throw, was benched by the Cleveland Browns and the team will turn to rookie Dillon Gabriel at the all-important signal caller spot.

All logical reasons for a quarterback competition in Las Vegas.

No dice, says Carroll.

“No. Nope. We’re not there,” the Raiders head coach said when asked if he considered turning to backup Kenny Pickett to replace Smith after throwing a trio of interceptions this past Sunday.

You know a situation is a little dire when even eternal optimists see something going awry and deviation from the current path is ideal. Such as:

Geno Smith has essentially given the Bears 13 points. At some point, the Raiders have to ask themselves, after a second 3-INT game, about Kenny Pickett. No hate, just reality.

— Hondo Carpenter (@HondoCarpenter) September 28, 2025

But as Carroll noted, Smith is entrenched as the starter. And it’s easy to see why there won’t be a fight for the QB1 role in Las Vegas when you look at: Smith’s contract, Carroll’s staunch belief in the quarterback, and Pickett’s resume.

Tip of the Cap​

Smith is the Silver & Black’s $75 million man.

When he was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks via trade — to reunite Carroll with the quarterback he helped resurrect — Smith and the Raiders agreed to a two-year, $75 million contract extension that runs through the 2027 season.

The Raiders are on the hook for Smith’s $24 million base salary, $16 million roster bonus, and $40 million guaranteed salary this year. In 2026, the quarterback’s base salary jumps to $26.5 million and his guaranteed salary is $18.5 million (and there’s no roster bonus). In 2027, Smith’s base salary is $39.5 million with no roster bonus or guaranteed coin. And that’s the potential out the Raiders have as there would be no dead cap tied to Smith. Smith’s dead money figure as of now is $58.5 million and in 2026, it’s an $18.5 million sum, according to Over The Cap.

On the money factor alone, Las Vegas is obligated to continue to see if it can get a return on investment when it comes to their starting quarterback. Smith was acquired to provide Carroll a familiar face and veteran and provide a steady presence at the all-important quarterback position. It’s been anything but, however, on coin alone, the Raiders aren’t going to bench him until things go awfully awry. (And I get the sentiment from fans it’s already there).

Watched the 3 interceptions by Geno Smith. I agree with Geno, there is a better version of himself that he knows can be more consistent. I know he can fix this.

Pressure disguised into Cover by the Bears pic.twitter.com/cnSnorUojV

— Kirk Morrison (@kirkmorrison) September 29, 2025

Carroll’s Corner​

To say the Raiders’ head coach and quarterback are tied at the hip would be an understatement.

Smith spent four seasons with Carroll in Seattle, two of which Smith was Carroll’s starting quarterback: 2022 and 2023. After six straight seasons of toiling around as a backup that rarely played, Smith earned Seattle’s full-time starting gig in 2022 at age 32 and for the next three seasons, captained the Seahawks offense.

Once Carroll returned to the coaching game in Las Vegas, he sought and — with the help of general manager John Spytek — the Raiders facilitated a swap for the Smith.

But despite Smith struggling mightily in terms of taking care of the football though the first four games of the Carroll era in Las Vegas, the head coach is devoted to his signal caller.

“He’s already done it. I thought he did a masterful job of accepting the responsibility, that you guys will all think is so obvious,” Carroll said on how Smith clears what happened in Week 4. “The turnovers — there’s a lot of reasons things happen, but as the quarterback, you got to shoulder it, and he did exactly what he should do. He took a day that he needed, and another day that he needed, and he’s back to full speed, ready to go. And his brain is on, his mind is clicking, and he’s excited about this opportunity.”

Carroll appeared flummoxed with the follow up question: At what point does it become a serious concern, regarding Smith’s play and ability to bounce back.

“I don’t know that gauge. I don’t know what you’re asking me. I don’t know what that gauge would be. At what point?,” Carroll explained. “I don’t have a gauge for that. I’ve never gotten to that point.”

What a ball from Kenny Pickett pic.twitter.com/juhDUj07AL

— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) September 25, 2023

Pickett Fence​

Acquired from the Cleveland Browns for a 2026 fifth-round pick, Pickett was deemed expendable after a hamstring injury kept him sidelined and Cleveland drafting two quarterbacks in the 2025 draft along with veteran Flacco in the room. Pickett was running with the first-team unit before the injury, but got lost in the shuffle.

Now, the 27-year-old who was the 20th overall pick in the 2022 draft is Smith’s backup in Las Vegas as the Raiders needed an experienced QB2 after Aidan O’Connell suffered a broken wrist. Having started 25 of his career 30 games, Pickett flamed out with Pittsburgh and after two seasons, he went to Philadelphia before being traded to Cleveland.

Pickett remains an enigma, however, and while he’s a quarterback that can make all the throws with good mobility, he’s as inconsistent as the play callers he’s had in his four seasons in the NFL. Basically, he’s O’Connell with a stronger arm and better athleticism.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...dont-expect-a-raiders-quarterback-competition

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Raiders Week 5: Defense can get trampled by Colts

Jan 2, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) is no stranger to running all over the Raiders defense. He’s ran for 501 yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries in five career games against the Silver & Black. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Jonathan Taylor is no stranger to trampling the Silver & Black.

In four career games, the Indianapolis Colts workhorse running back galloped for 501 yards on 83 carries with five touchdowns when pitted against the Las Vegas Raiders. That all started when he was a rookie in 2020 (the 41st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin) as he torched the Raiders for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries in the Colts’ 44-27 victory.

The following trio of contests against the Silver & Black read: 108 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in 2021; 147 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in 2022; and 96 yards and a score on 21 carries in 2023.

Taylor gets another opportunity to face the Raiders, this time, with defensive-minded head coach Pete Carroll at the helm. And heading into this Week 5 matchup at home against the visiting desert marauders, Taylor leads the NFL in rushing with 414 yards on 77 carries and three touchdowns. The 26-year-old tailback exploded for 165 yards on 25 carries in the Colts Week 2 29-28 win over the Denver Broncos and, most recently, was “corralled” for 76 yards on 17 carries in Indianapolis’ first lost of the year — a 27-20 defeat — against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday.

Healthy Jonathan Taylor is pretty, pretty, pretty good pic.twitter.com/wnGYMXVKSJ

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 30, 2025

Taylor is at the forefront of the Colts’ impressive offense helmed by head coach and play caller Shane Steichen. Indianapolis ranks fourth in points scored (123) and third in yards gained (1,589) while also boasting the fourth-most productive air attack (1,044 yards) and eighth-ranked ground game in yards (545) and second-ranked in touchdowns (seven).

Taylor is the tip of the Colts spear in the ground game and quarterback Daniel Jones (87 of 121, 71.9 completion percentage, 1,078 yards, four touchdowns to two interceptions, and 54 yards and three touchdowns on 18 rushing attempts) is the start of Indianapolis’ air attack. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren (the 14th pick in the 2025 draft) paces the Colts with 263 receiving yards on 19 catches. Right behind him is veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr at 234 yards and three touchdowns on 21 grabs.

That said, Jones did struggle against the Rams throwing two interceptions to just one touchdown, but he still completed 72.7 percent of his passes (24 of 33) in the loss.

“They’ve made a significant shift in their effectiveness from the offseason to now, and Daniel Jones has been right in the middle of all that. They’ve got good players. They’ve got extremely well equipped, skilled people,” Carroll said of the Steichen’s Colts offense. “Tyler (Warren), the new tight end, he’s their number one targeted guy. The tailback is elite. And so, it’s been a tremendous connection between, let’s say, Shane (Steichen) and Daniel to get him to play at this high level so early in his time with them. They’ve come out flying, and then they’ve have had great success on offense so far. So, Daniel has been the recipient of this opportunity, and thanks to Shane, I would think.”

Welcome back, Daniel Jones

pic.twitter.com/hisGfQD0e8

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 28, 2025

Heading to Indianapolis to stymie (or marginally disrupt) Steichen’s offense is going to be a test of Carroll’s and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s coaching acumen and mettle.

Las Vegas’ defense did well to rebound in Week 4 against the visiting Chicago Bears, particularly against the run. The Raiders were one of the stingier units to run on prior to Week 3 — ranked as high as fourth — but the 201 output the Washington Commanders dropped on Las Vegas plummeted the overall ranking. Graham’s group yielded just 69 yards rushing and 202 passing yards in the 25-24 loss to the Bears.

But with how dangerous Taylor is on the ground and how effective Jones is through the air, Las Vegas must be disciplined and fundamentally sound in Indianapolis. If not, the Graham’s unit may get carved up something fierce by Steichen and his group.

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has long been the tone setter for the Raiders defense and his continued disruption (five total tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, and three pass deflections against Chicago) buoys the group. Las Vegas needs a strong game from leading tackler and linebacker Devin White (34 total tackles, five stops for loss, and a pass deflection), Jamal Adams, defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV, safeties Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, to name a few.

Communication and execution must come together, lest the Raiders give up touchdowns like this one against the Bears:

I knew the EZ angle of this Caleb WIlliams throw wouldn't disappoint. That's an actual laser beam. https://t.co/Gz7To7fRuI pic.twitter.com/qPx22YKrss

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 29, 2025

Head-to-Head​

Sunday’s matchup is No. 23 for the Raiders and Colts. Thus far, the series record is knotted at 11-11 — 10-10 in regular season play and 1-1 in postseason action. Indianapolis rides a two-game win streak besting Las Vegas 23-20 in late December 2023 and 25-20 in November 2022. Las Vegas did win the early January 2022 contest 23-20. The very first game between the two franchises was in 1971 when the Baltimore Colts topped the Oakland Raiders 27-17 in the AFC Championship game.

Quotes of Note​

“He’s really consistent and really firm technique wise, didn’t get knocked off the ball at all. Like you said, he hadn’t had a lot of opportunities and hadn’t had a lot of featured opportunities in passing down situations. They had some other stars on that team, so he couldn’t get the opportunity. But he’s contributed in a huge way, and he’s just as steady as a rock. And I don’t know if you guys have had chance to talk to him, but he’s a beautiful kid, and he has a lot to offer all of us. And so again, I think we’re just learning to appreciate it more. And he had a couple really big plays in the game too, which was great.”

—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll when asked about defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ders-week-5-defense-can-get-trampled-by-colts

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Raiders expect Brock Bowers to play Sunday, Germaine Pratt out

Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers didn’t practice Friday for the second straight day with a lingering knee injury.

Yet, Raiders coach Pete Carroll indicated Bowers was being rested and he expects him to play Sunday at the Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PT. CBS reported earlier Friday that there is “optimism” that Bowers will play Sunday.

Bowers is listed as questionable to play. He has been dealing with the knee injury since the end of the season opener against the New England Patriots. He hasn’t missed a game, but his production has notably dipped over the last three weeks. He has 122 receiving yards in the past three games total. He didn’t have a three-game stretch with that few yards as a rookie. The injury is clearly hampering Bowers, who has been playing with a knee brace. He told reporters Friday the injury has affected him.

#Raiders TE Brock Bowers said he's not allowed to share the specifics of his knee injury, but added it's been frustrating to deal with.

"I want to be back to going full speed, being able to separate from guys. I feel like I can't really do that to the best of my abilities right…

— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) October 3, 2025

Friday afternoon, after practice, Carroll’s availability and the release of the injury report, the team announced linebacker Germaine Pratt will not travel to Indianapolis. No reason was given other than it’s not an injury issue.

The veteran has played 88 percent of the defensive snaps this season and has 25 tackles. Jamal Adams will likely get more snaps Sunday with Pratt out.

Backup tight end Michael Mayer (concussion) and starting cornerback Eric Stokes (knee) are also listed as questionable. Mayer was hurt earlier in Week 3 and Stokes was hurt Sunday against the Bears. They were both limited all week.

Star defensive end Maxx Crosby practiced fully Friday, a day after being limited with a knee injury. He is not on the injury report and is fully ready to play at the 3-1 Colts for the 1-3 Raiders.

Meanwhile, Friday, the Raiders put backup edge rusher Brennan Jackson on the injured reserve with a foot injury. He was limited in practice Wednesday and didn’t work Thursday. Jackson, a waiver claim from the Rams in August, has played in three games. He has played 47 snaps on special teams and none on defense.

Wide receiver Alex Bachman was promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad to take Jackson’s place. Bachman was elevated on game day twice this season. He has played 30 snaps on special teams and six on offense. He appeared in six games for the Raiders last season. He has three receptions for 31 yards.

For the Colts, wide receiver Alex Pierce remains out with a concussion. The Colts’ other starting wide receiver, Michael Pittman is not on the injury report. He was limited in practice Thursday with a hamstring issue.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...s-injury-news-brock-bowers-questionable-colts

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Silver Minings: Raiders may be without Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer Sunday

The Las Vegas Raiders are heading to Indianapolis to take on the Indianapolis Colts on the road. They will be hoping to end their three-game losing streak after opening the season with a win on the road vs. the New England Patriots.

However, during that win, Brock Bowers ended up with a knee injury, and he didn’t finish the matchup. While he has played through the injury in the last three games, he missed the previous two days of practice this week. Also, the other tight end who formed the great tandem was Michael Mayer, who was dealing with a concussion from Week 3. Mayer was limited in practice all week, and there were hopes that both would play. It was announced on Saturday that both players were likely to be out against the Colts.

#Raiders star TE Brock Bowers is trending toward not playing Sunday against the #Colts, per me and @TomPelissero. Bowers has been battling a knee injury.

While coach Pete Carroll expressed confidence in Bowers being out on the field, his knee didn’t respond. pic.twitter.com/kI6wCAp93J

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 4, 2025

Both players being out for the game will hurt the offense and the run game. They will have to depend on Ian Thomas and Carter Runyon to step up and help fill the void at the position. Of course, replacing Bowers, who is one of the best tight ends in football, will not be easy. It will be felt in the passing game, which he helped even during his injury.

The Raiders already faced a tough matchup, and now it has become even tougher.

In other Raiders links:

• TDL film preview vs the Colts: The guys at TDL have the film breakdown of what to expect Sunday as the Raiders face the Colts.
• Defense can get trampled by the Colts: Ray Aspuria has the breakdown of the Colts’ dynamic offense to help you get ready for Sunday.
• Mark Sanchez was replaced for the Raiders-Colts game by Brady Quinn: Mark Sanchez was arrested on Sunday after an incident in Indianapolis, and Brady Quinn will take his place.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...without-brock-bowers-and-michael-mayer-sunday