Jets are doomed after giving way too much NFL Draft power to Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets are stuck with the quarterback Aaron Rodgers experience, whether they like it or not. Even prior to his arrival last offseason, the Jets acquired some of Rodgers’ favorite toys to entice him to the Meadowlands, including wideout Randall Cobb and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

Rodgers' departure from the Green Bay Packers had a lot to do with the lack of input in the team's decision-making process. If the Jets want to keep him happy, general manager Joe Douglas will have to concede to some of Rodgers' demands.

Rodgers is more than just a quarterback: he also assumes the roles of coach and general manager. He discussed coaching up his Jets teammates last season and has already greatly influenced which players the Jets sign in free agency.

Now, Rodgers may be wielding his influence in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, this time to land a highly-coveted offensive weapon. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Jets are "all in for 2024," so if Rodgers wants someone like Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 10 overall pick, that's likely what they will do.

Jets may draft Aaron Rodgers pick over offensive line reinforcement

"He's the top tight end in the draft but it's hard to peg where he's going to go exactly because he's largely considered a top-10 type player but when I talk to teams, some of them are skeptical of whether he actually goes in that range or does he fall back to say the Colts at 15, the Bengals at 18?" Fowler said. "So, he'll go fairly high in the first round but he might not be that slam dunk, top-10 player. A lot depends on the Jets because they've got Aaron Rodgers, they are all in for 2024. So, if they're doing the long play they might take an offensive tackle or something that's not as sexy and play for the long future but they're all in now so if Rodgers wants a tight end, he might get his guy."

The Jets have had other positions of need throughout the offseason, but the team has endeavored to address those through free-agency additions and trades. To bolster their offensive line, the Jets signed left guard John Simpson and future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith while trading for Morgan Moses. They also signed wide receiver Mike Williams to offer Rodgers a speedy downfield option, but there are legitimate injury concerns that landed both Smith and Williams in free agency.

Williams is coming off of an ACL tear that sidelined him throughout 2023, while Smith has been perennially injured for years. The Jets could use the No. 10 overall pick to land an offensive tackle who could anchor the left tackle position for years to come, but if they're cashing in all of their chips for a Super Bowl now, it wouldn't be surprising to see New York give Rodgers an elite tight end who excels as a route runner.

The positional value of tight ends has diminished in recent draft cycles. One school of thought suggests that tight ends, like running backs, are no longer worthy of a first-round selection. That argument has been bolstered by the struggles of recent first-round tight ends such as Kyle Pitts, Noah Fant, Hayden Hurst, and O.J. Howard. 

Unfair as it might be, Pitts' struggles may scare some teams away from selecting Bowers in the first round, which could cause him to fall down to the Jets.

Bowers is one of the most gifted prospects in this year's draft class. The 6-foot-4 tight end is comparable to 49ers tight end George Kittle, according to NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. Bowers led Georgia in receiving yards during his three collegiate seasons. The high-volume target possesses prolific pass-catching ability with rare agility and body control. He has shown the ability to find the soft spots in zone coverage and beat man coverage as a route runner. He is effective at gaining yards after the catch by shedding tacklers. He is an adequate blocker, though not quite as polished in that area as other tight ends. 

Despite being critical of his teammates for allowing distractions into the locker room, Rodgers spent the offseason flirting with a presidential bid and continued sharing his social commentary. Meanwhile, Jets owner Woody Johnson and head coach Robert Saleh may have gotten into a very public spat during the annual league meetings last month. Tensions are beginning to rise in New York, and another disastrous season or misstep could sound the death knell for the current Jets regime.