Jets Should Buy and Sell at Trade Deadline
The Jets find themselves in a unique position leading up to next week's trade deadline.
With a 5-2 record, New York is in position to end their NFL-worst postseason drought, a stretch of irrelevance dating back to 2010. If the 2022 season ended before Week 8, New York would have the No. 5 seed in the AFC, sitting in second place in their division.
Even with this stunning start to the season, everyone can agree that the Jets' best days are ahead. New York is still developing with their mix of young studs and proven veterans. Their second-year quarterback Zach Wilson hasn't reached his potential—he's only played in 17 NFL games, missing some time over the last few seasons with knee injuries. Rookies like cornerback Sauce Gardner and wideout Garrett Wilson are only scratching the surface while rising stars like defensive tackle Quinnen Williams can still take their talents to the next level.
That in mind, New York must find a balance leading up to the trade deadline. There are some needs that the Jets can address, using draft capital to create the best version of their current roster, getting ready for a run at the playoffs. That's exactly what general manager Joe Douglas accomplished by sending a conditional sixth-round pick to the Jaguars for running back James Robinson, an immediate replacement for Breece Hall, who tore his ACL against the Broncos last week.
All the while, they must think about next season and beyond as well. New York has a few pieces that they can conceivably trade away in the next few days, assets that are weighing this roster down and can turn into more young talent down the road.
As Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated put it on Thursday, Douglas and the Jets are in a "fluid situation" and can use their disgruntled receivers as trade bait if they're negatively impacting the culture in New York's locker room.
You can be building for the future and building for now. Coach Robert Saleh has his thumb on the culture there, and if a pair of malcontent wide receivers, Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims, are weighing down the operation, they should let them go. Teams need wide receiver talent across the board, and while he may not be able to recoup the purchase price, he could possibly outdo what he’d receive in the compensatory formula. — Orr
Between the lines, both Mims and Moore haven't played a role in 2022. Mims has one catch, usually watching from the sidelines as a healthy scratch. He didn't get into a game until Moore requested a trade, jumping to a conclusion after a dip in his usage over the last several weeks.
With Wilson, Corey Davis, Braxton Berrios and more at wide receiver—and a strong running game—those two former second-rounders haven't been the focal point of this club's offense. That should be OK, considering the Jets are winning games, but they've made it clear they want out by requesting to be dealt elsewhere.
That's the risk for Douglas and his staff. Moore profiles as a key piece down the road, a player that's flashed his potential in green and white. Moving him could get them a relatively high draft pick, maybe a third-rounder or so, but it also cuts into their depth at the position going forward. Mims, on the other hand, is an asset that's easier to say goodbye to. Find a club that's willing to send a late-round pick and take a chance on Mims and the Jets should pull the trigger.
The same can be said for cornerback Bryce Hall, a player that's been relegated to the sidelines after New York drafted Gardner and signed D.J. Reed. An injury or unforeseen circumstance would give Hall an opportunity to pick up where he left off from last year's promising rookie season. If all goes according to plan, however, Hall doesn't factor into New York's secondary at all going forward.
Douglas will be on the phone quite a bit over the next several days, listening to offers while making some of his own. If he can bring in more contributors, specifically on the offensive line (to combat New York's barrage of injuries up front), then this team is poised to end their postseason drought. Move some other pieces and they can continue to set themselves up for the future, too.
MORE:
- Jets' Robert Saleh Reacts to James Robinson Trade
- Jets Will Face NFL’s Leading Sack Artist Against Patriots
- Jets Sent a Message With James Robinson Trade
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