Full Breakdown
Raiders Lock Up Tight End Michael Mayer to Three-Year, $45 Million Extension
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Saturday that they have reached a three-year agreement with tight end Michael Mayer worth $45 million, including $30 million guaranteed. The deal, reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, secures Mayer through the 2029 season and assigns him a $15 million average annual value, placing him among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.
Background & Context
Mayer was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, where he set school records for receptions, yards and touchdowns by a tight end. In his first three NFL seasons he accumulated 83 catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns, posting career highs of 35 receptions and 328 receiving yards in 2025. The Raiders also drafted first-round tight end Brock Bowers in 2024, who emerged as a premier receiving option but entered the 2026 season on the injured-reserve list after a meniscus procedure. With Bowers unavailable for the Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, the Raiders expect Mayer to assume the starting role.
Data & Statistics
- Contract: 3 years, $45 million total; $30 million guaranteed; $15 million average annual value (AAV).
- AAV ranking: fourth among current NFL tight-end contracts.
- Career NFL production (through 2025): 83 receptions, 788 yards, 3 touchdowns.
- 2025 season: 35 receptions, 328 yards (career highs).
- Cap space entering the extension: $10.9 million.
- Mayer’s AAV places him behind only George Kittle, Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft and Kyle Pitts.
Official Statements & Responses
Kubiak, who previously employed two-tight-end sets as Seattle’s offensive coordinator, highlighted the importance of having “two reliable tight ends” to support rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Position coach Luke Steckel, now in his third year with the organization, was also cited as a factor in Mayer’s optimism heading into the season.
On-the-Ground Report
Brock Bowers was ruled out of the season opener after undergoing a meniscus trim earlier in the week, prompting the Raiders to elevate Mayer to the starting lineup. The injury to Bowers, who recorded 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, underscores the immediate need for Mayer’s expanded role.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources consistently report the contract terms and Mayer’s upcoming starting assignment; no substantive discrepancies were identified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I need to know the offense like the back of my hand, and I need to keep my head down and I need to work,” — Michael Mayer, tight end
- “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a journey,” — Michael Mayer, tight end
What’s Next
Mayer is slated to start at tight end in the Raiders’ Week 1 contest against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The extension secures his place on the roster while the team monitors Brock Bowers’ recovery, with the expectation that both tight ends will feature prominently in Kubiak’s offensive game plan throughout the 2026 season.