Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers sustained an injury during the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The injury occurred after the rookie tight end had his leg rolled up on by a teammate while attempting to block during the opening series, according to the latest reporting from Yahoo Sports.
Bowers initially sought medical attention in the sideline tent before briefly returning to the field of play.
However, the team confirmed shortly thereafter that the tight end was forced to retreat to the locker room for further evaluation.
Prior to his early departure from the contest, Bowers had managed to record one reception for a total of six yards.
The situation was clarified further when the team issued an official status update regarding his availability for the remainder of the Week 10 matchup.
“Raiders TE Brock Bowers (ankle) QUESTIONABLE,” wrote Paul Gutierrez of Raiders.com.
The loss of Bowers represents a significant setback for the Las Vegas offense, especially as the team navigates the starting debut of quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza stepped into the starting role following the recent trade of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings.
The depth of the Raiders’ tight end group is currently being tested, as backup Michael Mayer remains the primary option in the absence of the team’s leading pass-catcher.
While the team possesses a deeper roster at the position than many of their league counterparts, analysts noted that Mayer does not offer the same offensive versatility as Bowers, per The Big Lead.
As the game continued, observers noted that the decision to send the star player to the locker room signaled potential long-term concern, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic.
The team has not yet released a definitive diagnosis for the injury, leaving the status of the tight end in question as the Raiders look to move forward in their current offensive configuration.