ESPN Mock Draft: After Offensive Line Moves, Do Jets Select Receiving Weapon For Aaron Rodgers?

ESPN NFL Draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates agree the New York Jets have done enough to upgrade their offensive line that they can afford to select Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with their No. 10 overall pick.

The New York Jets' offensive line problem is solved.

Or ... is it?

The free-agent acquisitions of veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses seem to provide the bookend protection for quarterback Aaron Rodgers that Jets fans were clamoring for this offseason.

Both, however, are 33 and will be blocking for the 40-year-old Rodgers, who is coming off a season-ending Achilles injury.

General manager Joe Douglas' moves have only put him at the crossroads of another major decision: With the No. 10 overall pick in next month's NFL Draft, do the Jets select an insurance policy lineman in case of injury to Smith and/or Moses? Or Do they draft a play-now receiving weapon for Rodgers?

According to ESPN draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates, the choice is easy: Brock Bowers, tight end, Georgia.

Even though Yates' official choice for the Jets is Penn State left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, he admits on ESPN's latest First Draft show that he didn't have time to call an audible after New York's signing of Smith late last week.

"If I would have had time to edit this," Yates said, "I would've made this pick Brock Bowers. It's time for the Jets to add more weapons for Aaron Rodgers."

Kiper agreed with the pick, though he too feels the philosophical quandary.

"For the Jets it's a great question," he said. "On paper Joe Douglas has done a great job of upgrading the offensive line. But you have to keep Tyron and Moses healthy and on the field. Assuming you do that, the call here should be Bowers. That's who I'm taking. He's a weapon all over the field."

In the wake of the first week of free agency, ESPN's updated Top 10:

1. Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams, QB, USC

2. Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

3. New England Patriots - Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

4. Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Jets' New Left Tackle Tyron Smith: 'Opportunity to Win Super Bowl'

5. Minnesota Vikings - J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

6. New York Giants - Malik Neighbors, WR, LSU

7. Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

8. Atlanta Falcons - Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama

9. Chicago Bears - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

10. New York Jets - Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

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