Brock Bowers Friday injury update from practice is disastrous news for Week 5

Mike Moraitis

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Brock Bowers Friday injury update from practice is disastrous news for Week 5 image

As we enter the weekend in the NFL, Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers looks like he might not suit up in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Bowers has been battling a knee injury since suffering the issue in Week 1, but he has yet to miss a game because of it. It looked like Bowers was getting better last week after he logged all full practices.

However, our antennas went up on Wednesday, after Bowers only logged a limited session. Then, full panic kicked in after Bowers didn't practice at all on Thursday.

And that panic has only continued into Friday, as Bowers was just a spectator at practice, which strongly suggests he's not going to play on Sunday.

"Bowers is not in uniform observing practice," ESPN's Ryan McFadden shared, along with a photo of the star tight end in street clothes.

We have seen Bowers play with only one limited practice in a week, which came in Week 2. However, Bowers closed out that week with a limited session, as compared to this week when his partial practice began the week.

Truth be told, the Raiders sitting Bowers might be the best idea, much to the chagrin of fantasy football owners and fans.

Let's be real here: the Raiders aren't competing for a Super Bowl this season and need to prioritize the health of their best offensive player.

If Bowers isn't playing at 100% (his recent production would suggest that's the case), he shouldn't be on the field and the Raiders should rest him until he is. There is no sense in forcing the 22-year-old out there and risking something more serious.

If Bowers can't go, Michael Mayer would be in line to take on a bigger role, but he is up in the air, also, as he works his way back from a concussion.

If both Bowers and Mayer don't play, Ian Thomas would be the next man up. Las Vegas also has Carter Runyon on the 53-man roster and Albert Okwuegbunam on the practice squad.

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.