As part of their efforts to revamp the firepower on offense, the Las Vegas Raiders selected wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Bowden’s stint as a Raider did not last very long though after he was paired with a 2021 sixth-round pick and traded to the Miami Dolphins for the team’s initial fourth-round pick. He has since spent the bulk of the 2020 NFL season finding his footing in the Dolphins’ offense.
Fortunately, Bowden has managed to make his presence felt in Miami over the last few weeks due to a number of injuries to their skilled position players. It appears his efforts have not gone unnoticed by Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
Gruden is admittedly glad to see that Bowden has managed to etch out a role for himself in Miami, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
Gruden said Lynn Bowden Jr. got a chance to play for the Dolphins because of injures. "I'm happy for him — glad he's got a role."
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) December 22, 2020
It is not very often that a team trades a rookie before they even have a chance to play a game. While the Raiders may not have had much use for Bowden’s versatile skill set, it is clear that the Dolphins are now relishing in what he brings to the table.
The rookie struggled to make much of an impact throughout the season but has managed to kick things up a notch with 17 catches over the past three games. It is evident that his rapport with rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has helped pay some dividends for his recent emergence into the offense.
It is safe to say that Bowden will have a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he travels to Allegiant Stadium to take on the team that drafted him this weekend. Not only are the Dolphins still in the hunt to get into the playoffs, but he will have a chance to show the Raiders what they missed out on.
Either way, Gruden is happy to see that the rookie has made the most of his opportunity.
