Overview
- The Raiders agreed on Saturday, Sept. 12 to a three-year, $45 million extension for tight end Michael Mayer that includes roughly $30 million in guarantees and a $15 million average annual value.
- Contract details reported by Yahoo Sports show a reported $9 million signing bonus and guarantees that bring Mayer to $30 million guaranteed within months of signing.
- The deal was driven in part by Brock Bowers undergoing a meniscus trim earlier this week, which removed Bowers from Week 1 and made Mayer the immediate starter.
- Mayer validated the investment in the season opener by leading the Raiders with seven targets and finishing with six catches, including key first-down grabs on the opening scoring drive.
- The extension places Mayer among the NFL's higher-paid tight ends, ends a Raiders run without extending a rookie-era pick since 2022, and signals coach Klint Kubiak's intent to feature multiple tight ends in his offense.