The Las Vegas Raiders believe there is a realistic chance that tight end Brock Bowers will miss only one game because of his knee injury and return for their Week 2 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Bowers underwent a meniscus trim Tuesday, and sources initially told ESPN that Bowers was expected to miss "a game or two." The Raiders officially ruled Bowers out for Sunday's season opener against the Miami Dolphins.
The Raiders will see how Bowers is feeling this upcoming week, but a potential return on Sept. 20 against the Chargers in Los Angeles is possible, sources told Schefter.
After sustaining a PCL injury and a bone bruise in his left knee in Week 1 of last season, Bowers was hampered by the injury for the next three games before ultimately missing three games in October.
Bowers ended up playing in 12 games before being placed on injured reserve for the last two weeks of the season. The two-time Pro Bowler returned to the practice field in the spring fully healthy and was a go-to target for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Bowers' absence Sunday will force tight end Michael Mayer to take on a larger role in the offense.
