Raiders Tight End Bowers Out for Opener After Knee Surgery

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has been ruled out for Sunday's season opener against the Miami Dolphins after undergoing knee surgery earlier this week, a development that has drawn scrutiny over head coach Klint Kubiak's public comments about the player's status. Kubiak confirmed Friday morning that Bowers will not play, stating, "I was optimistic earlier that Brock would be able to go, he's not." The coach said the team hopes to get Bowers back "as soon as possible" but declined to confirm a specific recovery timeline. The situation stems from a sequence of events earlier in the week. On Wednesday morning, Kubiak was asked directly about the health of Bowers and defensive end Maxx Crosby, both of whom had dealt with knee issues during the offseason. Kubiak responded, "We're expecting to have all our guys ready for Sunday." Hours later, reports emerged that Bowers had already undergone a left meniscus repair procedure on Tuesday, a full day before Kubiak's press conference. The reports indicated the tight end would miss at least a game or two. Bowers was not in uniform for the portion of practice open to reporters on Wednesday.