Their latest defeat wasn’t the worst news coming from the Raiders camp, as they received a major injury blow regarding star tight end Brock Bowers. With the reality of the season clear as day, the fans believe they understand why this move has come into place, with a focus on the next season.

“The Raiders are placing star TE Brock Bowers on injured reserve today, officially ending his season, per sources,” reported by NFL insider Tom Pelissero on X. “Bowers has dealt with a knee injury since Week 1. With playoffs long out of reach, the decision was made to get it taken care of now and focus on being 100% in 2026.”

Bowers’ 2025 season has been marred by a lingering knee injury, one he originally suffered in Week 1 and battled through before the Raiders suddenly placed him on season-ending injured reserve ahead of their Week 17 game. Despite missing time and limited effectiveness at points, the 2024 first-round pick still impressed in Las Vegas with 64 catches, 680 yards, and seven TDs in 12 games. These numbers are far from his rookie year, but his potential is clear, and full fitness could bring about a better season next year.

As a rookie, the 23-year-old recorded 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. However, this season, the injury had a significant impact on his output. His 176 career catches are the most by a tight end in his first two seasons, and his 1,874 receiving yards are the third-most.

With Bowers out and the Raiders sitting at the bottom of the AFC West with 13 losses, this unfortunate injury could emerge as a blessing in disguise for the 2026 NFL draft. With the New York Giants next on the schedule, who share a similar record, another defeat could guarantee the first pick in the upcoming draft.

This possibility has not gone unnoticed by fans. Many have expressed how the Las Vegas Raiders have made this Brock Bowers decision, specifically for having a better chance to win the first overall pick.

Fans highlight why the Raiders decided to place Brock Bowers on IR

With just two games of the season left, most teams that are out of playoff contention have shifted their focus to the upcoming 2026 NFL draft, which is scheduled between April 23-25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With the Giants and Raiders being among the worst teams in the league, a win for either team in Week 17 could take the top draft pick away.

“Race to first pick is on,” one fan tweeted, shedding light on this issue.

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Many fans were quick to highlight this as the seemingly real reason behind the Raiders’ decision to shut down Brock Bowers for the remainder of the season.

“The Giants and Raiders fighting to see who can tank better this weekend,” another fan commented, referring to tanking a game. This term comes about from the idea of playing poorly on purpose to get a better draft pick.

“The tank we trust 😭🙌🏻,” another fan commented, echoing the same sentiment.

Further supporters were quick to share Christmas-themed messages for the Raiders ahead of the festive season. “That’s what I’m talking about, Raiders,” one fan commented.

“Place the guys that actually play hard on IR so we don’t have a chance to ruin the #1 draft pick…wink wink…love my team. Maxx is next! Merry Tank-mas, everyone! 🎄🎁,” the fan said, keeping the festive cheer in mind.

“Merry Tank-Mas,” another simply shared, describing the Giants-Raiders matchup and comparing the festive joy to the loss, giving one team a better pick.

All eyes will be on the Allegiant Stadium, but not to find the winning team. It will be interesting to see how the Raiders and the Giants take on each other, especially with the possible first pick of the draft on the line.