Draft question of the day: Trading down to select TE Brock Bowers?

Would this be a good move for the Giants?

Today’s New York Giants ‘Draft Question of the Day’ involves a trade down scenario that if often inquired about by those who send questions for the Big Blue View Mailbag.

Let’s get to it.

Joseph Galeszewski asks: The consensus pick at 6 is Odunze if he is available. Still think it is a good pick but, IF, IF the Giants could make a trade down with the Vikes, getting a #11 and #23, how about the possibility of drafting TE Bowers at 11. He is the Mackey award winner two straight years. The kid offers terrific blocking on the line and downfield, helping out the (we really don’t know what we will get this season) OL. He has terrific hands. He’s tough to bring down with the ball, breaks tackles. He has good height, 6’4”. Last known speed was a 4.5. May not be the breakaway threat, but with he and hopefully Waller they would be a defensive nightmare. Even if Waller leaves, he is THE REPLACEMENT. Kid reminds me of Travis Kelce. At #23 we can get our #1 absolute NEED a #2 CB. Come to think about it, Bowers might even be a good pick at #6.

Ed says: Earlier this week Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic did a mock draft in which he had the Giants trading down to No. 9 with the Chicago Bears. He passed on the opportunity to select either Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, the two players most often associated with the Giants by mock drafts. Baumgardner took Bowers at No. 9.

I panned the idea. Here is part of what I wrote:

“In my view, that feels like a consolation prize. It feels like a move down that took the Giants out of position to draft one of the two players (Nabers, Odunze) they would likely target if they don’t have the option of selecting a quarterback.

“It sort of feels like trading into no-man’s land. Missing out on a top wide receiver, probably too early for a cornerback, perhaps a good spot for an offensive tackle that doesn’t appear to be a priority.”

I feel the same way here.

Yes, you can build a passing attack with the tight end as a primary component, maybe the primary component. The New England Patriots did it with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The post-Tyreek Hill Kansas City Chiefs do it with Travis Kelce.

Still, the best wide receivers are game-changing vertical threats who can and do make plays down the field, outside the hash marks and turn short plays into long ones. Tight ends, even the best ones, don’t do that. They are chain-movers who control the middle of the field and, sometimes, the red zone.

That is why wide receiver is considered a premium position in the NFL, and tight end is considered one of the least important. You don’t give up a chance to get a potential No. 1 wide receiver like Nabers or Odunze and intentionally target a tight end as a replacement. That is a fall back option, a consolation prize as I wrote the other day.

Darren Waller’s $17 million per year average salary is tops among tight ends. There are 19 wide receivers making more than that, which tells you how the NFL values the two positions.

Honestly, if you are making that trade with the Vikings you are passing on an opportunity to select either a quarterback of the future (because the Vikings aren’t coming up unless someone like J.J. McCarthy is there) or a WR1.

I think that’s a mistake.

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