Jets get roasted over Brock Bowers’ $18 million mistake

Heavy on jets

The New York Jets used the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. They could have chosen Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, but they chose not to.

Bowers had another breakout game for the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday in Week 13, where he had 10 receptions for 130 receiving yards and a touchdown.

“I love Olu Fashanu, but it’s safe to say the Jets made a mistake by not drafting Brock Bowers,” one social media user said.

SNY’s Connor Hughes added: “Passing on Brock Bowers might have been a mistake for the Jets. The guy is a stud.”

“Joe Douglas’ final gift to the Jets in the draft was Brock Bowers,” said longtime NFL columnist Gary Myers.

“Olu may end up being an All-Pro, but I wonder what could have happened if the Jets had won with 11 Bowers,” Good Morning Football host Peter Schrager said.

These Bowers-Fashanu Jets takes seem a bit premature

Most design analysts say that you can’t properly evaluate a design until three years later. However, in this society, people want things immediately and instant coffee in the microwave is not fast enough.

Bowers, 21, is having a great campaign. In the first eleven games of the season, Bowers had 84 catches for 884 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

He currently leads the NFL in catches, he is third in the league in receiving yards, and he is fifth in the league in receiving yards after the catch.

Here’s a review: According to StatMuse, Mike Ditka has the most receiving yards ever for a rookie tight end (1,076; 1961). Bowers is on pace to crush that (1,252 receiving yards). It should be noted that Ditka did this in a 14-game season. and Bowers has 17 games available.

The former Georgia player is in the first year of his $18 million rookie contract.

Something that many people seem to overlook…

Is Bowers having a crazy season? Yes. Does this help the Raiders win games? Obviously not.

Despite this historic campaign, Las Vegas is 2-10 and if the draft were held today, he would be the No. 2 overall pick in the first round, according to Tankathon.

Schrager openly wondered what the Jets would look like with Bowers instead of Fashanu. Jets content creator Matt O’Leary responded: “Probably still 3-8.”

Fashanu began his rookie season for the Jets on the bench. New York did not need his services immediately due to their two experienced starting tackles, Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses.

Fashanu appeared in eleven games, but only started three times. The talented rookie was forced into action this season due to injuries to Moses and Smith. Finally, the former Penn State player plays the position he was assigned as left tackle.

It’s easier to evaluate players like Bowers because they have tangible receiving stats to look at. Fashanu has only given up one sack this season, but hasn’t played much either.

“If Olu Fashanu becomes our franchise LT, I promise you that no one will care about the success of Brock Bowers with the Raiders. “Cornerstone LTs don’t grow on trees and are a critical position to have cost-effective control over the next four years,” Richie Mollura responded on social media.

The Jets made the right choice. Left tackles are more important than tight ends. If the Jets had acquired Bowers over Fashanu, the team would have been forced to rely on Max Mitchell or Carter Warren to protect Aaron Rodgers’ blind side.

Yikes.

Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. The New York native is co-host of Cumulus Media’s morning show “The Manchild Show with Boy Green.” Prior to joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York City sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.