Brock Bowers set to practice as 2-0 Raiders turn toward the Saints

The most useful thing said about the Raiders on Monday had nothing to do with Sunday's 26-14 win in Los Angeles. Klint Kubiak said Brock Bowers will practice this week, as the Review-Journal reported, and RotoWire notes the aim is a season debut Sunday in New Orleans.

Bowers had a meniscus trim on his left knee on Sept. 8 and has missed both games. Michael Mayer has held the job in the meantime with nine catches for 55 yards on 11 targets. Serviceable is the polite word. Kirk Cousins already has six touchdown passes in two starts, per the team's own numbers, and his best receiving weapon would be a meaningful addition if the knee holds up through a full week. That's a real if. Friday's injury report is the one that counts.

The less welcome news: rookie safety Treydan Stukes is in the concussion protocol, KTNV reported from Kubiak's press conference, and cornerback Darien Porter's status is still to be determined. A secondary that just picked off Justin Herbert twice is thinner than the box score suggests.

Then there's Cody White. The receiver whose first two catches as a Raider both went for touchdowns reverted to the practice squad Monday, the New York Post reported. That's routine bookkeeping after a game-day elevation, but as Raiders Wire's Levi Damien pointed out, Las Vegas can elevate him only once more before it has to decide whether to sign him, and other teams can offer him a roster spot in the meantime. Kubiak praised his work ethic and said the staff cares about production. My view: a roster spot is cheap, and cheaper than losing a receiver who keeps finding the end zone.

The bigger picture holds up. The Raiders are 2-0 for the first time since 2021, tied for the league lead with eight sacks and first in pressure rate at 50 percent while blitzing on just 7.4 percent of dropbacks, according to the team. That's a four-man rush doing the work, which is the sustainable kind.

Next up is New Orleans, 1-1 after beating Baltimore. Watch Wednesday's first practice report for Bowers and Stukes, and whether White is elevated or signed before kickoff.