Should the Jets Trade Out of the First Round in the 2022 NFL Draft?

This former New York Jets scout says the Jets should trade both of their first round picks to acquire more draft capital, building the team on overlooked talent.

Author:
Daniel Kelly
Updated:
Jan 2, 2022 9:21 AM EST
Original:
Jan 2, 2022

In this story:

New York Jets

The Jets currently are holding the fourth and sixth picks in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, but one attractive option could be trading down with both picks.

Team general manager Joe Douglas has proven to have an eye for overlooked talent, and this could be the best strategy for building this team.

I am not talking about just trading down a few spots, I am talking about trading completely out of the first-round altogether and acquiring a heap of draft picks in the mid to latter rounds in this draft and the next three drafts to come.

While this approach certainly would be unorthodox in this day and age, where top-10 picks are more coveted than gold, it does make sense given Douglas’ keen eye for overlooked talent.

Douglas found quarterback Mike White, wide receiver Braxton Berrios, defensive end John Franklin-Myers and linebacker Quincy Williams after they had been cut. Douglas signed free safety Elijah Riley off of Philadelphia’s practice squad. All five of these players have performed well. Berrios might even be the team’s most valuable player and he was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

READ: Failing to Re-Sign Braxton Berrios Would Be a Huge Mistake By the Jets

Take it from a former team scout, it is not easy to be able to find players like this who have been either cut or been playing on another team’s practice squad. Douglas has done an outstanding job being able to recognize and acquire this talent.

Everyone has their niche in the NFL, and Douglas seems adept at being able find diamonds in the rough.

Douglas also was able to pick up running back Michael Carter, who is the team’s leading rusher this season, in the fourth round.

Hall of Fame GM Bobby Beathard had that same ability. Beathard built a powerhouse in Washington with only three first-round draft picks during the entire decade of the 1980’s. Beathard was renown for finding great players in the mid to latter rounds and for being able to acquire cast-offs from other teams and even other leagues, who became household names in Washington.

Trading away both first-round draft choices and getting completely out of the first-round would bring a windfall of picks. It would give the Jets draft capital along the lines of what the Herschel Walker trade did for the Dallas Cowboys back in 1989. Dallas traded Walker to Minnesota in exchange for what amounted to 18 players. It is the largest trade in NFL history and Dallas was able to pick up a handful of first and second round picks over the next three years. The trade undoubtedly set Dallas up for their Super Bowl run in the ‘90’s.

READ: NFL Insider Says Jets Must Improve 'Mediocre' Weaponry Around Zach Wilson This Offseason

Just last season, Miami was given three first-round picks from San Francisco, so they could move up nine spots and select QB Trey Lance. There is no telling how many mid to latter round picks the Jets could acquire over the next three years if they were to deal their two number ones. Additionally, it would also be a cap-friendly move if Douglas is able to capitalize and find more overlooked talent.

The move also could do wonders in building this group to be a team. Players in the mid to latter rounds tend to have less ego than the players taken in the first round and tend to gel better from a team chemistry perspective. This definitely was the case for Beathard in Washington. These types of lower-round prospects are often more open to taking coaching. They also tend to have a much better understanding their success is dependent on their teammates opposed to star players, who think they are the team.

In a day where teams will tank for the top pick and others will give up the farm to move up a few spots, this would be a different approach.

It could also be the answer.