From Newsweek · Michael DeRosa · · 1m 10s
Raiders pay Michael Mayer before Week 1
Las Vegas handed its 25-year-old tight end three years and up to $45 million days before the season opener.
In brief
Las Vegas handed its 25-year-old tight end three years and up to $45 million days before the season opener. The Raiders are betting on Mayer's upside, not his production so far, and locking in the price before he raises it. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Deal lands before kickoff
Las Vegas signed tight end Michael Mayer to an extension just ahead of the Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins.
Three years, $45 million
ESPN's Ian Rapoport reported the deal runs three years and is worth up to $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed.
“a three-year contract worth up to $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed”
Paying for the next step
Mayer is 25 and the Raiders moved fast. The bet is on what he becomes, not what he has already done.
Last season was steady
He played 13 games in 2025, catching 35 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown. Useful, not yet a centerpiece.
A second-rounder's three years
Taken 35th overall in 2023, Mayer has 83 catches, 788 yards and three touchdowns across 38 career games, all with Las Vegas.
Now the pressure starts
With the money settled, 2026 becomes the year Mayer has to look like a $15-million-a-year tight end.
The takeaway
The Raiders are betting on Mayer's upside, not his production so far, and locking in the price before he raises it.
