I think you're safe, Joe Douglas might harbor some hope of salvaging his job at this point and I think he knows a QB in the first round is a possible hydrogen bomb. I think the most likely scenarios are: 1) Overdraft a tackle at 10 who struggles on the right side while Bakhtiari is on the left racing Rodgers to their inevitable season ending injuries. 2) Trade up 2-3 spots and draft the guy from scenario 1 3) Draft a cornerback named Kool Aid 4) Draft a tweener DE that could have been had 30 spots later Although it's been a really long time since the Raiders drafted a kicker in the first round. The Jets like making history!
Listen, I hope that you're right that they'll take a QB, WR, Edge or even CB, anything rather than an OT. I based my post on what I've read and what I've heard over the last 2-3 weeks on Sports Radio, and the mock drafts I've seen from the media and "experts." I didn't mention a single team that I haven't heard or seen listed as a possibility for needing/taking an OT. For those teams that have "adequate" OTs, if you were an NFL GM, would you settle for just "adequate" when you could possibly get an elite OT to help protect your QB? Also, the teams who have an "adequate" OT or OTs, can afford to take Fashanu or Fuaga, and let them compete for a starting job. If they win the job, great, they just got stronger, but if not, he can sit and watch for a while until they're ready, and in the interim, they have an "adequate" starter. Next year's draft may not have anywhere near the quality of OTs as this draft, while there are very good WRs pretty much every year. They may decide to move this year on uprading their OL.
Alt, Bowers, trade down, in that order. 1. Move mountains to get Joe Alt. It will take 2025 capital to do it but there is no other rookie left tackle I trust to protect Rogers' blind side. Alt gives us the best of both worlds - plug and play in a win now season and we're set at LT for 10-12 years. 2. If Alt is not obtainable, then Bowers is the pick. The mistake is in viewing him as "just" a tight end. He lines up in line, in the slot, split wide, and in the backfield. Plays like a big boy WR. At 6'3" 243 he's a weapon, an elite weapon. The entire Georgia offense revolved around Brock. 3. If both are unobtainable, then trade down, acquire a second round pick, and round out the roster. Add a WR and a couple OL in the first 3 rounds. If the Jets go into the draft looking at option 2 or 3, then they damn well better have signed a vet LT in free agency. Even then, none are going to be as good as Joe Alt.
I agree that Bowers is talented, but I cannot think of a worse pick for the jets at 10 in round 1. TE is probably the position that needs the LEAST amount of attention on the jets. They already have Conklin, Ruckert, Yeboah, Kuntz ,and soon to be released Uzomah. The need OL ,WR, DL, and safety, damn it!! But, it would vintage Joe Douglas to waste the jets first round pick in 2024 on Bowers. Last year, the position that needed the LEAST amount of attention was edge rusher--so that nitwit Douglas takes 24 year old McDonald at 15 overall and the jets keep him INACTIVE on game day early in the season. When was the least time a #15 pick overall pick (non-QB) was kept inactive in his rookie season? Since TE IS the position of LEAST need this year, watch Douglas take Bowers and again play scrubs and backups at WR and OL. The definition of insanity is ...
By saying they should take Bowers you're assuming that Hackett and the Jets would be able to use him effectively. That's an unwarranted assumption. The Jets offense needs to "crawl before it walks", meaning they need to get the basic foundation right - building a competent and reliable (healthy for a season) OL. Nothing else matters more, especially with a 40 year old QB. If they can't get a true "plug and play" LT at #10, they should trade back, recoup a 2nd rounder, and go from there.
If the Jets somehow secure a left tackle in free agency then Bowers is absolutely in play. They need another offensive weapon. Evans? Ridley? Not likely, especially if they spend on left tackle. You can't make a pick based on the OC being inept, besides, Rogers is the true OC, Hackett is just his assistant and Bowers would be here longer than either of them, win or lose. Garrett, Breece, and Brock? I'll sign up for that.
My post was purely speculative. I think the foundations of a good offense are quarterback and left tackle. So I wanted to examine if some spots in the top 9 were unlikely for Fashanu. I'm not really thrilled by the right tackles the Jets could draft at pick 10; I would be glad if they could trade down and still get a right tackle, though. At 10, I would feel more excited by one of the premier wide receivers (Harrison, Nabers or Odunze) than by Bowers. But I think it likely that the three wide receivers will be gone before pick 10. And the more I read about team needs, the more it seems likely that both premier tackles will be gone by pick 7. The Chargers, Giants, and Titans (picks 5 to 7) all need tackles. My ongoing hope is that the Jets will be able to find a trade partner and get a round 2 pick by trading back in round 1. In that scenario, I think the Jets might be able to stockpile two young talented tackles as the foundation of their offensive line for years to come.
Cowboys have told Tyron Smith's agent that they are moving on from him, per Rapoport. If the Jets land him, that changes the whole draft landscape for them.
I agree that the foundations of a good offense are QB and LT. I'm also not excited about taking a RT at #10, as it would be a bit of a reach, or overdrafting, because none of the likely RTs are seen at present as being one of the top 10 players in the draft. I have seen some speculation that Fuaga could potentially play LT, but I'm not sure if I agree with that. He has been moving up in mock drafts, and I think I've seen him go as high as #13 and Latham as high as #15. So at least it wouldn't be much of a reach to take a RT at #10. The Jets definitely need to trade down and acquire a 2nd round pick this year. The problem is that I just don't think the chances of that are very good. I think perhaps the best chances of the Jets being able to trade down and acquire a 2nd round pick are if one of Fashanu, Nabers, Odunze and Bowers fall to #10. In that situation, one or more teams might be willing to trade up, and if two of those players are still available at #10, I believe it would increase the likelihood of a potential trade down for the Jets, but it might not happen. If no one wants to trade up, then the Jets will be faced with a really tough decision...reach for a RT, and then not have another pick until #72, or take Bowers or which ever of Nabers and Odunze are sitting there (and then not wind up with a quality OT prospect in the draft, or take a player at another position they have rated as BPA, and still not wind up with a quality OT prospect in the draft. I've seen the Powers-Johnson IOL kid go as high as #13 in a mock draft as well, and he is a great prospect, but imo, that's too high to take an IOL. While it would certainly help strengthen our OL, it wouldn't do anything to help the OT position or give Rodgers another receiving threat. If the Jets can't find a trade down partner where they can acquire a 2nd round pick, I think they have little choice but to take Fashanu or Fuaga or whomever they see as the best OT prospect left. They can still possible get a good WR at #72 or maybe combining that with next year's 3rd round pick or 2nd round pick they could move up the 2nd round and get a good WR prospect. My only point of disagreement is that I don't think all 3 of Harrison, Jr., Nabers and Odunze will be gone by #10. It certainly could happen, but I think all 3 of the top QBs (Williams, May, Daniels) will be gone, and it's quite possible that JJ McCarthy could be gone by pick #10. I saw a mock draft this morning where the Giants take him. I think at least one CB will be gone, and at least one Edge rusher. If even 3 QBs are gone, Alt, a CB, and Edge, and the 3 WRs I mentioned are gone by #10, than means that Fashanu fell to the Jets. If Fashanu is taken, then it's likely that one of the WRs fell. If McCarthy is taken in the top 10, then it's possible that one of the WRs AND Fashanu could be sitting there at #10. Of course Jayden Daniels could fall out of the top 10, or perhaps no team takes a CB or Edge that high, then neither Fashanu or any of those 3 WRs are there at #10. The Jets are going to be extremely lucky to get one of the top 10 WR prospects. Their chances at getting one of the top 5 OT prospects are excellent. Another crazy thing that could happen is a run on OTs. While it's not likely, it's happened in other drafts, and with so many being so highly rated, and there being so many below average and bad OLs in the NFL, I could see 5-6 of the OTs going in the top 15-20 picks, which could mean 3 going before the Jets pick at #10. While part of me would love it if the Jets were able to and did take two highly-rated OTs with their 1st and 2nd round picks (following a trade down), I don't think that is very likely as they would have to trade down so far in the 1st to even get a 2nd round pick, and then the 2nd round pick would wind up being so low that all of the top OT prospects would be gone. If Alt and Fashanu are gone, and the Jets trade down, they'd have to miss out on Fuaga, and maybe Mims as well, so the best they could possibly hope for would be Guyton and Suamataia, but the latter could go in the 1st round or very top of the 2nd round, so it would more likely be Guyton and Kiran Amegadjie, and they'd have to be extremely lucky to get both. I don't think they'd do that, however, and pass up on taking a higher-ranked WR. It's going to be a wild and nerve-wracking draft!
Is Rodgers the true OC? Did he do a good job at it when essentially stepping into that role last year when he went out of his way to get involved on the sidelines? OR are people just grasping at some exaggerated out paper concept that is likely to fall to pieces as soon as the romanticized "just get open and I'll find you" stuff in the huddle doesn't actually cut the mustard when applied to the reality setting? Of course at which point on that latter everybody simping hard on Rodgers and the above said concept simply retreats back to complaining about not giving the guy a real OC or better schemed out game plans. Without even acknowledging that boils down to being HIS chosen fault. Book that now lol
Again, there is an overwhelming chance in play that Hackett isn't going to be here in 2025 after 2024 predictably falls on it's face with this current coaching staff. From a 5 year asset perspective that isn't putting too much stock into the 2024 contribution I feel a lot better about our general odds of ending up in the same position next year to draft an equal'ish promising OL prospect at #1. I personally can't say the same about passing on Bowers. So for me at least that has to be considered in.
If Fashanu is there at 10, I would hope that the Jets are sprinting to the podium! Fashanu and a WR at 72 like Ja'Lynn Polk, Tez Walker or Malachi Corley would be the beginning of a great draft. I think Fuaga will turn out to be a solid right (not left!) tackle or a great guard. However, he has nowhere near the athletic upside at his position that, say, Turner has at his. I would be comfortable taking him in a trade down but not at pick 10. If you're right that an Odunze or Bowers will fall to pick 10, then I think a trade down will become quite possible. We are talking about premier athletes who are well worth the 10th pick in the draft. If there are no takers, then the Jets will be left with the choice of drafting a lesser athlete like a Fuaga or considering drafting the superior athlete. I think this choice will be easier if the superior athlete is at a posItion of great need (i.e., WR) rather than a position of lesser need (i.e., TE).
i keep hearing how great Bowers is, and he may be all that. But honestly, I want NO part of a TE at 10. We are good enough at TE with Conklin and Ruckert and our needs on OL and WR are SO much more pressing. I would take the best tackle at 10 or perhaps a trade down and pick an OT a few spots later if they don’t like whoever is there for us at 10. I would prefer a trade down and OT over taking a TE at 10. It’s a luxury pick that we can’t afford. Not saying he’s not a weapon, but I would just focus on OL. Of course, we’ll see what happens in free agency also as that may change a few thoughts too…
Brock Bowers snap count at Georgia: 876 snaps at TE, 1074 snaps at Slot, WR, and RB. Calling him a TE is not seeing the forest for the trees. Garrett, Breece, Conklin, and Bowers can all be on the field at the same time. The Jets finally realized (too late last year) that Breece is Christian McCaffrey 2.0 - imagine moving Breece AND Bowers all over the place. Absolute nightmare for defenses. Again, this is contingent on the Jets securing a Left Tackle in free agency. First things first.
ha None of you are picking for the Jets come April Wrap your heads around the fact that Overweight Joe and Robert S have no interest in what fans deliberate when it comes to picks SOJs >>>get all excited pre draft then lose our Lunch after the Front Office swings into action in April LMAO OTOH always fun to dream..and BTW you guys are genuine brain trust imo
Oh, I have no illusions that JD is perusing every word in Jets blogs for guidance on what to do in the draft! The team's predicament would be even worse than we thought possible if he is! As Tom points out, JD's record shows that he's quite capable of messing up the draft on his own.
This is the first year in a long while that the Jets ended up with a big need in a draft class deep at the position of need. Unfortunately this also happened in 2014 and 2020 with receiver and we fucked it up so it’ll be interesting to see how we fuck this one up.
Yep. He plays like Deebo Samuel but also as a willing in-line blocker. If a team uses him right he can be a fucking monster. He’s a matchup nightmare against a linebacker or strong safety.
IMO lesser athlete or not, the Jets have NO choice. They HAVE to draft an OT with their 1st round pick. Neither Nabers, nor Odunze, nor even Marvin Harrison, Jr., would help the Jets if the OL isn't fixed and Rodgers gets hurt again. Besides it shouldn't be about drafting the "superior athlete. It should be about fixing their problems, keeping their priorities in line, and drafting the best football player they can get that will help the team the most. Getting the best OT that they can get will help the team more than getting a WR.
