Don’t Fall For The Brock Bowers Pipe Dream
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
In a modern day and age of superstar tight ends, Cincinnati seems to be on the outside looking in. They have only had one season in their franchise’s history with an All-Pro tight end (Bob Trumpy in 1969). With historically average to below average production from that position, Bengals fans want a superstar tight end that could one day date Taylor Swift.
Daniel Jeremiah said the "throw a parade" scenario for the #Bengals would be if Brock Bowers falls to 18.
He adds that Troy Fautanu still being there at 18 would be a home run scenario as well.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) April 17, 2024
Cancel the float rentals. He won’t be there.
The calls for Brock Bowers began the instant Joe Burrow’s wrist turned into Ken Griffey Junior’s hamstring. However, Jake Browning took the reins and kept the Bengals afloat. He had a 4-3 record as a starter in 2023, and he improbably led the Bengals to a winning record of 9-8 and the 18th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In all likelihood, this puts the Bengals out of position to select the Georgia tight end.
I don’t think Brock Bowers gets past the Colts, but I enjoyed this topic during a long offseason 😅
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) April 12, 2024
The “generational talent” label has been attached to Bowers’ name more than a few times. Players with that label not named Aaron Rodgers typically don’t fall very far in the draft. Kyle Pitts was named a generational talent just three years ago, and he didn’t even fall to the Bengals’ fifth overall pick. In 2019, top TE prospect TJ Hockenson, who wasn’t even the only Iowa tight end taken in the top 20 that year (Noah Fant, anyone?), didn’t make it past the eighth pick. Expecting a generational player like Bowers to fall all the way to 18 is simply unrealistic.
This is not to say that any team wouldn’t be lucky to have him. Other than being a player who is slightly undersized, Bowers’ game has virtually no weaknesses. He’s an exceptional receiving tight end and mismatch weapon. He’s a great technician as a blocker. He can bring down any pass as long as it’s within six miles of him. As long as he can overcome his ankle injury from a season ago, he’ll be an elite talent in the league for quite some time.
Unfortunately for Bengals fans, other teams need those generational talents as well. The Jets, who have shown interest in Bowers, need to acquire weapons for Aaron Rodgers so he doesn’t get angry and reinvigorate Pizzagate conspiracy theories. The Broncos and Colts, who have both met with Bowers, are in the mix as well.
Also, early investments in tight ends have not panned out the way a lot of teams hoped they would.
In the last 10 years, 9 tight ends have been picked in the 1st round of the NFL Draft.
They've combined for 0 All-Pro nods and one 1,000-yard season.
One of nine (David Njoku) got a second contract from the team that drafted him (Dalton Kincaid, Kyle Pitts TBD).
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) April 15, 2024
That’s not to say every first round tight end has been a bust, especially since Travis Kelce has taken home a good chunk of the All-Pro hardware. Both TJ Hockenson and Kyle Pitts have shown flashes of being worth their draft selections, and the former has been one of the most consistent tight ends in the league since his 2019 rookie year. While most of the league’s top tight ends (Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Mark Andrews) have been mid round picks, it would be a lot to expect a 3rd to 5th round pick to turn into a perennial All-Pro.
Though Bowers may not be in Cincinnati’s sights, the Bengals are reportedly showing interest in tight ends with mid-round picks. Iowa’s Erick All (based on Iowa’s track record, Hawkeye tight ends should be taken first overall) has been brought in for a Top 30 visit. In addition, Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott, who the Bengals have also met with, has been seen as an elite athlete and potential mid-round steal.
If the Bengals choose against drafting a tight end, they still have a solid roster of receiving threat Mike Gesicki, blocking stud Drew Sample, and the reliable veteran Tanner Hudson. It’s a solid corps for Joe Burrow, who has maximized the potential of his starting tight ends, as evidenced by big free agency deals that CJ Uzomah and Hayden Hurst have signed elsewhere.
For Cincinnati, their first round pick will likely be used in their biggest area of need: the trenches. Right tackle is a need, even with the signing of Trent Brown. The defensive line is also a big area of need, as DJ Reader has departed for the Lions and the Bengals have a lack of run stuffers on the interior.
While weapons are the sexy and exciting pick, Joe Burrow’s biggest issue has never been a lack of weapons. He’s truly an elite quarterback who can maximize what he has around him. He already has a treasure chest of weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (who will, I repeat, WILL be a Bengal in 2024) and a serviceable tight end room. His biggest issue has been staying upright. After suffering a season ending injury in 2023 and investing $275 million in Burrow, Bengals fans would be wiser to set their expectations towards a beefcake in the trenches.
That is, unless Bowers somehow, inexplicably, and magically falls to them at 18.
In that case, fire up the parade.
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