Troy Fautanu

Troy Fautanu Likely To Enter Steelers Training Camp In Backup Role

June 19th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

A few of this year’s first-round tackle draftees are being asked to change positions. Troy Fautanu had been rumored to be headed to right tackle, and the No. 20 overall pick confirmed that is where he expects the Steelers to slot him in his first NFL training camp.

Fautanu’s expected move to right tackle is part of an interesting plan for the Steelers, who are preparing to use a 2023 right tackle on the left side and pit two 2023 LTs against each other on the right side. After three years as the Steelers’ left tackle starter, Dan Moore Jr. is projected to switch sides to accommodate Broderick Jones‘ rumored LT move.

During Moore’s time at left tackle, the Steelers used back-to-back first-round picks to bolster the position. As the three-year starter heads into a contract year, he could be moving toward free agency from a backup role. That does not appear to be in the cards just yet.

Moore appeared far ahead of Fautanu during the offseason program, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes, while adding the veteran’s lead should be expected due to the experience gap (subscription required). But Fautanu will need to unseat a 49-start player. Pittsburgh’s Moore plan has been rather complicated, as the incumbent LT remained in his blindside post during OTAs. But the expectation remains he will move to right tackle.

The Steelers are certainly grooming Fautanu to start opposite Jones, who manned the left side for Georgia in 2022 before replacing Chukwuma Okorafor at Pittsburgh’s RT midway through the season. Rumors about Jones pushing Moore last summer emerged, but the former fourth-round pick held off the high-end prospect. The Steelers are believed to have viewed Fautanu as a superior prospect to Jones, so it will be interesting to see if the rookie can mount a strong challenge once the pads come on.

Harshly assessing Moore’s pass protection, Pro Football Focus slotted the Texas A&M alum outside the top 60 among tackles last year. The advanced metrics site charged him with eight sacks allowed; among tackles who started full seasons, PFF rated Moore as the worst pass protector. With one of this era’s most sack-prone quarterbacks (Russell Wilson) likely to start, this sets up as a shaky combination.

Moore, 25, is most likely playing his final season in Pittsburgh. With free agency in sight, this profiles as a pivotal position battle. Moore’s experience edge will matter, of course, but the position change stands to negate that to some degree. He has all of five NFL snaps at RT.

The fifth tackle chosen this year, Fautanu checked in as the No. 11 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He joins Joe Alt, JC Latham, Tyler Guyton, Taliese Fuaga and Graham Barton as first-round O-linemen set to change positions as rookies. Barton is moving from left tackle back to center; the others are flipping tackle spots.

As the Steelers’ Jones rookie-year plan showed, Moore beating out Fautanu in camp would not relegate the rookie to full-season backup duty. But Moore’s early lead here could also point to a developmental season for the team’s hopeful long-term RT.

Steelers Sign Round 1 T Troy Fautanu

June 3rd, 2024 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Using a first-round pick on a tackle for the second straight year, the Steelers have revamped their situation at this position. The more recent of the two investments, No. 20 overall pick Troy Fautanu, is now signed.

The Steelers agreed to terms with Fautanu on Monday, locking him down through the 2027 season. This contract, as all first-rounders’ do, includes a fifth-year option that will need to be exercised or declined by May 2027. Fautanu joins Broderick Jones as Pittsburgh’s hopeful long-term tackle answers.

Rumors about Pittsburgh using Fautanu at right tackle, and sliding Jones to the left side have emerged, but the team could also opt to bring the Washington product along slowly — as it did Jones in 2023. The team still rosters three-year LT starter Dan Moore, though he has struggled at points over the course of his rookie deal. One season remains on Moore’s rookie contract, pointing to a near-future reality in which the Steelers roll out a Jones-Fautanu tandem.

The Steelers viewed Fautanu as a superior prospect to Jones and looked into trade-up avenues, but the recent left tackle starter for the national championship game-bound Huskies dropped to No. 20 in a tackle-rich draft. Playing left tackle opposite eventual second-round Ravens draftee Roger Rosengarten, Fautanu became a high-end tackle prospect during his Washington stay. The 6-foot-4, 317-pound blocker earned first-team All-Pac-12 acclaim while blocking for Michael Penix Jr.

It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh arranges its blockers come Week 1. The team kept Jones on the bench behind Moore and then-RT Chukwuma Okorafor to start last season, but the Georgia prospect took over on the right side midway through. The Steelers cut Okorafor earlier this offseason; he is now competing for the Patriots’ LT post. One of the team’s first-round tackle investments will be a right tackle in the not-too-distant future, however, as Moore’s time in Pittsburgh appears to be winding down.

Should Fautanu supplant Moore as a starter, this season will mark a shift for a Steelers team that has used midlevel investments at tackle for many years. Jones represented the first Round 1 tackle to see extended time with the Steelers since Wayne Gandy in 2002. The team has used an array of blockers chosen outside the first round, most recently slotting the likes of Moore (fourth round), Okorafor (third round) and UDFA Alejandro Villanueva into its lineup. The Steelers will aim for a higher ceiling with Jones and Fautanu.

Latest On Steelers’ Offensive Line

May 25th, 2024 at 2:44pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers offensive line in 2023 was pretty decent, allowing the ninth-least sacks in the NFL and ranking as the 13th-best rushing offense. Still, Pittsburgh opted to make a number of moves towards an upgrade on their offensive front for the 2024 season. In fact, the Steelers utilized their first two draft picks (and three of seven) this year on linemen, and all three could be in line to start as rookies.

The only position that lost a starter on the line this year was center. The team watched their starter of the last two seasons, Mason Cole, depart in free agency. Cole graded out as the league’s 29th-best center out of 36 graded players at the position last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). They have a couple options to replace Cole, including veteran Nate Herbig. Herbig hasn’t played center much at the college or NFL level, but he has versatile experience all over the line and could be utilized there in a pinch. The favorite to start, though, is the second-round rookie out of West Virginia, Zach Frazier.

At guard things are a bit more interesting. Like Frazier, fourth-round rookie guard out of South Dakota State Mason McCormick is currently slotted to start on the depth chart of the team’s website. McCormick is listed as the starting left guard, presumably because that’s the only position he played in college. The team’s returning left guard, Isaac Seumalo, graded out as the team’s best offensive lineman in 2023, though, per PFF. So, unless the team benches their top returning lineman, Seumalo or McCormick will need to move over to the right side to compete with James Daniels. Seumalo has experience starting at right guard in the past, so it makes the most sense to move him over.

At tackle, the Steelers utilized their first-round pick to bring in Washington lineman Troy Fautanu. Many projected Fautanu’s skillset to fit best at guard or center at the NFL-level, though he spent most of his time at tackle during college in Seattle. Pittsburgh believes that he has the ability to stay at tackle and start in the NFL. Pundits predict that last year’s rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones will remain at right tackle, where he played in 2023, putting Fautanu at left tackle to replace Dan Moore Jr. as the starter. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, though, Fautanu has spent the first three days of organized team activities at right tackle behind Jones.

Kaboly doesn’t think Fautanu will stay as the backup at right tackle, though. More likely, with OTAs serving as the ideal time to mold and learn. This experience is the perfect opportunity for Fautanu to learn both positions in the event that he may have to move over to the right side and fill in for an injured Jones. It’s not uncommon for offensive lineman to need time to develop, but the Steelers likely didn’t use their first two draft picks on players they didn’t intend to start.

Things are still extremely early. The rookies are still finding their footing, and a number of camp battles are sure to ensue. The team even has plenty of time to sign a veteran free agent if they deem it necessary. Still, Pittsburgh has the potential to serve as a rare occasion in which we see three rookies starting across the offensive line.

We last saw that in 2020 when the Dolphins started Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, and Solomon Kindley (their first-, second-, and fourth-round picks, respectively) as rookies. That Miami team improved their record from 5-11 the previous year to 10-6 despite the youth across the line. The Steelers may be hoping for a similar level of improvement.

NFC North Rumors: Amegadjie, Oladapo, Turner

May 18th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

After watching left tackle Braxton Jones miss six games last season, the Bears utilized a third-round pick to add some quality depth to the roster in Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie. That quality depth will have to wait, though, as Amegadjie is still reportedly making his way back from a season-ending injury he suffered in college, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN.

Amegadjie suffered a partially torn quad in his final season at Yale that limited him to only four games last year after he underwent surgery. The team claims that doctors had medically cleared Amegadjie, but he has yet to practice in Chicago and will likely be sidelined for the at least the remainder of the spring. Head coach Matt Eberflus said that the plan is for the rookie to be ready by training camp.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC North:

Another rookie getting a delayed start to his NFL career is Packers safety Kitan Oladapo, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. The fifth-round pick out of Oregon State broke the big toe on his left foot during a drill at the NFL scouting combine. He waited to undergo surgery until after his pro day, where he still performed in position drills, and made teams aware of the situation during the pre-draft process. Currently sporting a protective boot and riding a scooter to lessen stress on the toe, Oladapo is not expected to participate in any offseason workouts. He aims to be ready by training camp.
New Vikings pass rusher Dallas Turner suffered from an unprecedented run of offensive draft picks to open the 2024 NFL Draft. After the minor slide to the middle of the first round, Turner finally came off the board at No. 17 overall as the third defensive player taken. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated hints that the unforeseen streak of offensive players may not have been the only reason that Turner slipped later than expected. Breer says that Turner, UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu, and Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu all fell due to red flags from medical concerns coming into the draft. Without those issues, Breer speculates the three would’ve gone closer to their projected values.

AFC East Notes: Allen, Bills, Coleman, Staff, Washington, Jets, Patriots, Slater, Dolphins

May 12th, 2024 at 10:46am CST by Sam Robinson

Having traded Stefon Diggs weeks after letting Gabe Davis walk in free agency, the Bills are facing questions about their receiving corps. The team’s top offseason investment at the position — No. 33 overall pick Keon Coleman — encouraged Josh Allen. Bills GM Brandon Beane said during a Sirius XM Radio appearance he had Allen join coaches in watching some film of receiver prospects. Coleman was among the candidates the superstar passer preferred, expressing his approval after being informed on Day 2 of the draft the Bills would go with the Florida State wideout. Although Coleman did not produce an 800-yard receiving season with the Seminoles, the Bills look set to count on the 6-foot-4 pass catcher as they remake their receiving corps.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

The Jets have moved on from one of the better-known members of their coaching staff. Leon Washington, who had been in place as assistant special teams coach in each of Robert Saleh‘s three seasons, did not see his contract renewed for the 2024 season, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. This marked the former Jets kick returner/running back’s first full-time coaching gig, after a run of fellowships since his playing career ended after the 2014 season. A Jets contributor from 2006-09, Washington earned All-Pro honors in 2008. Earlier this offseason, the Jets lost special teams assistant Michael Ghobrial to the Giants. Dan Shamash, who helps advise Saleh in terms of game management, is now listed as an ST assistant for the team. Brant Boyer remains in place as the team’s ST coordinator.
Rome Odunze may well have been the Jets’ preference at No. 10, but after the Bears went with the Washington wideout at 9, the team was set on Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu. The Jets were also high on Washington tackle Troy Fautanu, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but the team carried some long-term durability concerns about the Pac-12 blocker. Two other tackles — Taliese Fuaga (Saints) and Amarius Mims (Bengals) — went off the board before Fautanu, who slid to the Steelers at No. 20. Some teams flagged Fautanu’s knee as a medical concern, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. It appears the Jets were one of them.
Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Dolphins contract includes a void year, which will drop his cap number by a bit. The new Miami WR3 will count $2.1MM on the team’s 2024 cap, per OverTheCap. Beckham signed a one-year, $3MM deal with the Dolphins; the team will take on a $900K dead money charge in 2025 if OBJ is not re-signed by the 2025 league year.
The Bills have either decided on their defensive play-caller, only to not reveal the choice publicly, or they are still in the process of determining who will call the signals come September. Sean McDermott said (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski) he is delaying this decision until at least training camp. McDermott called plays last season, with the Bills having moved on from longtime defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, but the Bills now have a DC again in Bobby Babich. The Bills have been a top-five defense in each of the past three seasons, though their units — as key injuries hit in each season — have struggled in the playoffs.
Matthew Slater‘s immediate transition to coaching will come in a full-time role, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. The perennial Pro Bowl special-teamer is working as a “right-hand man” to Jerod Mayo, with Reiss noting the new Patriots HC is receiving input from his former teammate regarding team-building and character development. Slater, 38, spent 16 seasons with the Patriots, coming into the league in the same 2008 draft class Mayo did.
Staying with that 2008 draft class, one of its members recently landed a scouting gig. The Dolphins hired Beau Bell as a pro scout, according to InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton. A 2008 fourth-round Browns draftee, Bell only played five NFL games. He will make the move to a full-time role after receiving an apprentice opportunity with the Rams and serving as GM of the Arena Football League’s Philadelphia Soul.

Steelers View Troy Fautanu As Tackle; Team Eyeing James Daniels Extension?

April 26th, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Sam Robinson

Bringing in 11 offensive linemen on “30” visits, the Steelers did not mask their intentions in the first round. They ended up capitalizing on this tackle-rich draft class, selecting Washington’s Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall.

Fautanu is the second straight tackle the Steelers have chosen in Round 1, as the team traded up for Broderick Jones (No. 14 overall) last year. Some teams viewed Fautanu as a player who will be a better guard, but Mike Tomlin said (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the Steelers view their most recent addition as a player who can stick at tackle.

Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board slotted Fautanu 11th, and while some clubs envisioned the Washington alum as a player who will need to move inside, the longtime draft analyst does not. Some NFL personnel agree with this viewpoint; it would appear the Steelers are in this camp. This positions Fautanu as a player who will join Jones and Dan Moore at tackle. Moore is in a contract year, and the three-year starter appears set to be out of Pittsburgh by 2025 (at the latest) as a result of this pick.

The Steelers are believed to be ready to slide Jones from right to left tackle, his primary college position. This would open up the right side for Fautanu, who spent most of his college career at left tackle (with a few guard starts mixed in). If Jones moves over, the Steelers will be asking a left tackle — either Jones or Fautanu — to shift positions. The Steelers view Fautanu, despite his arrival six spots after where Jones was chosen last year, as a better prospect compared to the Georgia alum, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes (subscription required). Trade options presented themselves for the Steelers, but they stood down due to the value they believed Fautanu can provide.

Fautanu figures to complement Pittsburgh’s guard tandem (James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo) rather than threaten one of the starters’ jobs, and Kaboly goes a step further by noting the team is likely to come to an extension agreement with Daniels before Week 1. Daniels is going into the final season of a three-year, $26.5MM deal.

Despite going into his seventh NFL season, Daniels will not turn 27 until September. The former Bears second-rounder would profile as a player who has several prime years remaining, making him a good candidate for a lucrative third contract. Pro Football Focus rated the Iowa alum 33rd among guards last season and 24th in his Steelers debut. Daniels has played both guard and center as a pro, though a Bears effort to install him at center did not last beyond the 2019 season. He has operated as the Steelers’ right guard for the past two seasons.

The Steelers have both Daniels and Semualo signed to deals south of $10MM per year; a Daniels extension would probably change that. With the Steelers having both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on low-cost deals, more flexibility to spend exists. With two rookie-contract tackles in place (and no starter-caliber center on the roster as of yet), Daniels may be set to benefit soon. The Steelers do not negotiate extensions in-season, so Week 1 would double as a deadline for the team and the contract-year RG.

Steelers Add OL Troy Fautanu At No. 20

April 25th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Ben Levine

As expected, O-linemen continue to be popular in the first round. Likewise, the Steelers’ top choice comes at an expected position. Pittsburgh used the No. 20 pick on Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.

The Steelers had been linked to using their first-round pick on a blocker for a bit now. While a Thursday rumor mentioned Duke tackle/center Graham Barton as a target, this year’s deep tackle group presented an opportunity for Pittsburgh to add a higher-value player. This marks the second straight year the Steelers have gone O-line in Round 1; they chose Broderick Jones last year.

Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors while blocking for Michael Penix Jr.. That performance helped put the lineman in the first-round conversation for the 2024 draft. Fautanu has generally been lauded for his speed and athleticism, and the 6-foot-4, 317-pound lineman certainly has the physical attributes to compete as an NFL offensive tackle.

The Washington product was considered a first-round pick for much of the pre-draft process and was mentioned in the same breath as the five rookie linemen selected before him. However, Fautanu’s positional uncertainty may have led to him being the sixth OL off the board.

Some pundits projected the prospect as an interior lineman in the NFL, with some even declaring him the best draft option at that guard. However, considering the appeal of tackles, that sentiment may have ended up hurting the player’s draft stock. There was some growing optimism that Fautanu would be able to play tackle in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how the Steelers proceed with their rookie lineman.

There shouldn’t be much in the way between Fautanu and a starting OT spot in 2024. With Jones rumored to be sliding from right to left tackle — his primary college position — this year, a Fautanu path to the lineup could include a competition with Dan Moore Jr. for RT work. But the Steelers have some additional flexibility — and a potential long-term solution — thanks to their latest O-line investment.

Commanders Pursuing Late First-Round Trade

April 25th, 2024 at 6:29pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Commanders are set to keep the second-overall pick, the team could still be an active trade participant in tonight’s first round. According to JP Finlay of NBC4 in Washington, the Commanders have been calling teams in the bottom half of the first round.

The Commanders have the assets to move up towards the end of tonight’s portion of the draft. The team possesses a pair of early second-round picks (No. 36 and No. 40) plus a pair of third-round selections (No. 67, No. 78).

While the organization is all but certain to take a quarterback with the No. 2 pick, there are still other major needs they’d like to address. Per Finlay, if the team does pull off a trade towards the end of the first round, they’d likely be targeting an offensive lineman.

The Commanders moved on from left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and have Andrew Wylie penciled in on the other side, so the team could be seeking multiple tackles in this year’s draft. While the team likely doesn’t have the draft capital to make a trade all the way up for Joe Alt, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post suggests the Commanders could target another early-round OT who is sliding down the board. Fortier points to Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, and Washington’s Troy Fautanu as potential targets.

“It’s pretty universally known [that] it’s a really good tackle class, deep tackle class,” GM Adam Peters previously said (via Fortier). “As you can see in a lot of the mock drafts, there’s a ton of those guys coming off in the first round. We got a chance to visit with a lot of them and really at different levels. But yeah, we’re really, really excited about that group.”

While teams have sniffed around at Washington’s second-overall pick, it was recently reported that the front office hasn’t given any indication that they’ll trade the selection. While draft pundits haven’t completely ruled out Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy at No. 2, Jayden Daniels remains the favorite to be selected by the Commanders.

Draft Notes: Cowboys, Rams, Fautanu, Legette, Texans, Colts

April 24th, 2024 at 10:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys currently own pick No. 24, but like many other teams late in the first-round order they could be enticed to move down the board. When speaking about the team’s Day 1 approach, owner Jerry Jones noted the appeal of adding extra draft capital, stating it is “very likely” they could have a trade-down opportunity.

“I’m not trying to be cute there,” Jones added, offering a counter to his previous point (via The Athletic’s Saad Yousef). “Obviously we’d like to have some mid-round picks. But by the same token, Micah Parsons might be sitting there with that pick. Now, do you want to go for some more picks or do you want to snag him?”

A number of intriguing options could still be on the board for Dallas if the team remains in place. Offensive line is a known area of interest, and Graham Barton is believed to be on the Cowboys’ radar. Replacements for Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz are needed, and Yousef adds that – all things being equal – Dallas’ preference would be to acquire a left tackle over a center in round one. That direction would allow Tyler Smith to remain at guard.

With the draft’s opening night less than 24 hours away, here are some more notes from around the NFL:

The Colts are among the teams set to to pick in the teens which could be interested in a move up the board. That is also the case for the Rams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. 2024 marks the first year in which Los Angeles owns a Day 1 selection since 2016, but with 11 total picks the team could easily move up from the No. 19 slot. Adding a successor for Matthew Stafford under center has been floated as a first-round possibility, and Bo Nix could be a target in that instance. However, Dianna Russini of The Athletic sees such a move as unlikely (subscription required). Finding a D-line contributor to help fill the void left by Aaron Donald could be a more pressing need for the Rams.
Troy Fautanu is one of many offensive linemen slated to be selected in the first round, but an injury concern could hurt his stock. The Washington tackle had a knee injury flagged during the pre-draft process, as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The issue is seen as one which should not cause trouble in the short term but could ultimately “[impact] his longevity” at the NFL level. Fautanu may be viewed as a tackle (rather than a guard) in the pros, and he is believed to be a target of the Jets at the No. 10 pick. It will be interesting to see if his knee causes a drop down the Day 1 order.
Wideout Xavier Legette recently went public with the fact the Panthers have shown an interest in drafting him 33rd overall. In response, first-year head coach Dave Canales replied he has made the same remark to “50 other guys” (h/t team reporter Darin Grant). Carolina is obviously not considering that many prospects with the team’s top selection, but Canales’ comment proves the approach is certainly not Legette-or-bust. The former Gamecock had a breakout campaign in 2023, and his size and physicality makes him one of the more intriguing prospects in a celebrated receiver class. Legette could be a first-round candidate, and the WR-needy Bills are among the teams which hosted him for a private workout.
Nick Caserio has a reputation for executing trades both early and late in the draft, pulling off 18 total moves during his three years at the helm of the Texans. That total includes eight trades in 2023, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes Caserio is “likely” to continue being active on the trade front this weekend. Of course, Houston has already been a major player in terms of pick swaps, dealing the 23rd choice to the Vikings last month. As things stand, the Texans own nine 2024 selections.
Colts owner Jim Irsay is recovering from surgery which addressed back and leg issues, and his mobility is presently limited as a result. That will keep him from being in the team’s draft room, as he explained to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. Irsay will still be connected virtually to the team’s decision-makers, though, meaning Indianapolis’ draft process will carry on as usual as he continues to recover.

Latest On Jets’ First-Round Draft Targets

April 21st, 2024 at 4:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

With at least four quarterbacks expected to be drafted early in the first round of this week’s draft, the Jets are among the teams well-positioned to land a valuable prospect at another position. Set to select 10th overall, New York appears to have a shortlist of options.

The Jets could stand to add a pass-catcher in the first round, and the team’s offensive tackle acquisitions (Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses) are likely short-term solutions. As a result, tight end Brock Bowers and some of the top offensive linemen slated to be available at No. 10 will be of interest to New York. Should one of the three highest-rated receivers fall to New York, however, a selection (or even small trade up the order) could be in play.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports the Jets could select one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze in the event one of them were to still be available when the team is on the clock. That would represent a surprise, especially if the Bears (set to select first overall but also ninth) eschewed the opportunity to add a receiver. To that point, Cimini adds New York could attempt to trade with Atlanta for the eighth selection and in doing so maneuver ahead of Chicago.

Aside from the receiver spot, though, Bowers could very well be a realistic Jets target. New York hosted the first-team All-American, and during a pre-draft press conference last week general manager Joe Douglas stated a willingness to spend Day 1 capital on a tight end. The Jets are currently considered Bowers’ floor as a result, but his selection earlier in the top 10 would lead the team in another direction.

Cimini notes Douglas and Co. are “interested” in the top offensive tackles available, which comes as no surprise. He names Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Washington’s Troy Fautanu as the top options on New York’s board. Alt – who for quite some time has been a very popular selection mocked to the Titans (No. 7) and is believed to be on the Chargers’ (No. 5) radar – is unlikely to be available when the Jets pick. As such, Fuaga and Fautanu will be names to watch closely as the team contemplates a potential selection between them and Bowers.

New York has frequently been linked to a tackle addition, and that position is seen as a strength of the 2024 class. A move down the board (which could help compensate for the team’s lack of a second-round pick) could also be in play, but having Bowers or a high-profile tackle on the board would likely make it difficult for Douglas to turn down the option of staying put. Regardless of which position the team lands on, the Jets’ offense is in position to receive a notable boost on Day 1.

Load More Posts