Love this signing too. JD is doing great. Injury issues seem to be the main risk in most of the Jets’ moves, but each have big upside too. Mike Williams is literally the best WR2 the Jets have had since Eric Decker.
Keep ATV at guard permanently!! Warren has higher ceiling than Mitchell. Get OT in round 1 either at 10 or trade down. Don't take Bowers...we got Conklin and Ruckert. Get another WR in round 3 or 4. Also draft a DT, developmental QB, Safety and ILB if possible. Don't draft a RB unless a steal falls into your lap. I fear Douglas will take Bowers since he took McDonald last year when jets were stacked at edge.
I'm firmly in the pass on Bowers camp myself--Kyle Pitts was an even greater mismatch and he's still learning the position. I don't think JD will take him but who knows.
Williams contract has recorded. He gets 8.3 million guaranteed, with 1.7 million in play bonuses (basically 100 grand for each game played) = 10 million. So a 5.9 million cap hit on this year, with 2.6 to 4.1 million pushed into future years. Its about what we expected.
Different type of mismatches though. Pitts was a long strider that was supposed to body defensive backs and out jump them with solid speed. Bowers has the speed of an X receiver and the power in the open field like Gronk lite. I agree that the Pitts overdraft makes me worried about taking a tightend high. Top ten tightends rarely turn out to be difference makers (Kellen Winslow Jr. anyone?), but Bowers feels different because of his skills in the open field.
Excellent point like usual--do you think that Bowers can have the kind of year Kincaid had with Buff? I personally think thats unlikely so I'd still prefer OT.
I still think TE is good enough with Conklin and Ruckert…I’d rather go OT or WR at 10 or trade back…just not high on top ten TEs…most often they are not worth it…and by the way, neither Kelce or Kittle were top ten picks…
The Athletic (pay wall but you get it for free with a NYT sub., or you can sign up for it directly) has an NFL beat writers mock draft that has the Jets taking Bowers even though Fashanu is still there on the board. And even more maddening is that they have a trade that puts NE at #11 who then take Fashanu. Taking a TE at #10 would be SO SOJ. Their priorities should be: 1. OT 2. OT 3. OT 4. WR But of course it will be Bowers.
I’m just not sure how you could possibly be upset with Bowers? It’s not like if we take Bowers we only get him for next year. I wouldn’t be against taking a tackle at all but the Jets have a bunch of options for once.
Under normal circumstances - i.e. our GM had built and been maintaining a good OL - I'd have no problem really taking Bowers, although TEs taken in the 1st round and being successful are rare, and for the Jets even more rare. But Douglas HAS to ensure the OL is good, not only for this year - which still isn't certain - but for the future. Even if Bowers turns out the way some have predicted, it wouldn't make the difference that a stud OT will make IMO.
I'm really starting to fear that may happen! About the only way it won't is if JD gets hit by a bus and is in a coma and not able to run the draft, and whomever runs the draft instead will ignore what JD wants, use common sense, and take the OT. Does anyone know a bus driver in the area?
If Douglas takes Bowers, you can be sure Moses and/or Smith will get hurt in game 1, and Ruckert and Conklin will stay healthy all year. I really don't understand the call for Bowers by many on this board. We got not one, but two, 33 year old bookend tackles and truckloads of TEs. Further, from what I've been reading the jets are revamping their running game and changing blocking schemes. Why in the world would you add an undersized TE like Bowers then? By all accounts he is a willing blocker but not very successful. Just like edge rusher McDonald last year, he would be more of a luxury pick. OL requires the most players per snap in football (5). TE generally requires the minimum (1). Do the math. We need another stud OT not just for 2024 but beyond.
Yes, if both are busts, sure, doesn't matter which bust you pick. But if you pick a LT and he is average starter, you hit a home run. You have an injury prone LT now, who can miss games any moment, and you need a LT for the future. An average one there, and you are happy. An average TE means you actually downgraded from Conk, who is still young, not injury prone and can start for a few years. Plus there is a promising back-up in the wings too in Ruckert. And you did not address the holes in premium positions. The point is that selecting Bowers screws us in average scenario too, not just in the bust one.
If you have to think this hard about it then it’s probably not a solid argument. I’m not even against OT. I prefer Bowers to any OT that isn’t Alt but I can at least understand why we’d go OT over Bowers. Bottom line is we are in win now mode. You’ll take the “average” tight end (which most people would tell you is not the case with him) who can be a weapon every down over the second or third best tackle who ideally never sees the field. Again…I prefer Bowers or any of the top 3 WRs at 10 over OT but I’m not gonna piss and moan if we go OT.
