Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said that Bowers (knee) will practice this week and is gearing up to play Sunday against the Saints, Levi Edwards of the team's official site reports.
Bowers missed the Raiders' first two games of the season after undergoing a meniscus trim procedure Sept. 8, but he took a major step forward in his recovery by returning to practice last Friday as a limited participant. The star tight end will aim to get in a full slate of practices during the upcoming week, and if he experiences no setbacks with his left knee in those sessions, he could be cleared to make his 2026 debut Sunday. In Bowers' absence over the previous two weeks, Michael Mayer has stepped in as the Raiders' top tight end and has produced a 9-55-0 line on 11 targets.