NFL Rumors: Raiders' Brock Bowers Was Rams' Target in Round 1 Draft Trade Talks
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVApril 26, 2024
The Los Angeles Rams "really fell in love with" Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, according to NFL Network's Peter Schrager.
Schrager reported the Rams explored possible trades with an eye toward moving up and taking Bowers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Peter Schrager @PSchragsThe Rams had an offensive player they had their eyes on through the entire process: Brock Bowers<br><br>When he went off the board, their decision got a lot easier. They are thrilled with Jared Verse at 19. <a href="https://twitter.com/gmfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gmfb</a> <a href="https://t.co/mf488L4na3">pic.twitter.com/mf488L4na3</a>
Bowers instead went 13th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, while Los Angeles stayed at No. 19 and took Florida State edge-rusher Jared Verse.
It's not hard to see what the Rams liked with the 6'3", 243-pound pass-catcher. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, he had 2,538 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns. He was a matchup nightmare for college defenders.
Refraining from paying the full cost of what it would've required to land Bowers nonetheless may have been the right call.
We've seen Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski play integral roles on Super Bowl-winning teams. ESPN's Bill Barnwell laid out how selecting a tight end early in the draft isn't in most cases a great asset play, though.
Bill Barnwell @billbarnwellBrock Bowers isn't going 1-4. So if he's in the top 10, it's 5-10. <br><br>Average salary for those picks is $6.4 million/year.<br>Top ten of the TE market is only about $14 million/year - only C, RB, K, P, and FB get paid less.<br><br>Need to be very confident he's a star to take him top-10.
Los Angeles also managed to address what was a clear issue by going with Verse.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald retired and left a massive void along the defensive line. There simply isn't another player on the roster who can wreck the opposing offense in the same way the eight-time All-Pro could.
Bryon Young and Kobie Turner, both third-round picks in 2023, showed some promise by combining for 17 sacks as rookies. Still, Donald's retirement presented the need for another dynamic pass-rusher, which is exactly what Verse brings to the table.
Verse had 18 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss in his two years with the Seminoles.
"Part of what makes Verse such a coveted prospect is his blend of strength and athleticism," Bleacher Report NFL scout Matt Holder wrote in his breakdown. "He can put offensive tackles on their heels with his ability to turn speed to power as a pass-rusher, and he has good use of hands paired with the bend to win around the edge using finesse moves like a cross chop or arm over."
One can only imagine how Bowers would've performed in a Sean McVay offense, but Verse is just as likely to become a valuable contributor in L.A.