NFL Insider Proposes Trade Deadline Deal Between Jets and Ravens
While safety Marcus Maye and wide receiver Jamison Crowder profile as candidates to be traded by the Jets prior to next month's trade deadline, one NFL insider predicts that New York will deal a different veteran.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell published a story this week with 10 different realistic trade proposals prior to the league's November 2 deadline.
Barnwell's hypothetical that involves the Jets states that New York will trade offensive tackle Morgan Moses to the Ravens (along with a sixth-round pick) in exchange for a fourth-rounder. Here's Barnwell with more on the projected transaction:
TRADE DETAILS:
Ravens get: OT Morgan Moses, 2023 sixth-round pick
Jets get: 2022 fourth-round pickThe Ravens are 5-1, but things haven't gone as planned up front. At tackle, they were planning on welcoming back superstar Ronnie Stanley from an serious left ankle injury on the left side, then imported Alejandro Villanueva from the Steelers to play on the right side. That lasted one game. Stanley hasn't played since Week 1, and the team announced Tuesday that he will undergo season-ending surgery. Villanueva wasn't playing well on the right side, but he has looked much better since moving to Stanley's former spot, where he played in Pittsburgh.
Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta probably needs to add a tackle in the weeks to come. If the Ravens want to move Villanueva back to the right side, they could pursue Seahawks left tackle Duane Brown. It would likely be easier to keep Villanueva on the left side, which would mean targeting a right tackle. Moses, signed to a one-year deal by the Jets, is a capable right tackle with a track record of staying healthy. The Ravens might value availability more than ability at this point.
Most of that analysis is about how this impacts the Ravens as they look to go on a run deep into the postseason this winter. So, let's break down what this would mean for the Jets.
New York signed Moses in June, adding more depth to a young and inexperienced offensive line. The veteran, coming off seven seasons with the Washington Football Team, was also brought in to compete for the starting job at right tackle with George Fant.
In the end, it didn't matter who won the job at right tackle. With Mekhi Becton's knee injury keeping the left tackle out since Week 1, both Moses and Fant have been able to secure consistent playing time.
As Becton works his way back from the injured reserve, however, this would be one way to prevent the situation where one of those three lineman ends up spending time on the sidelines. It certainly would be a risk, cutting down on depth with more than half a season remaining, but general manager Joe Douglas could flip that pick into a younger offensive lineman next spring. And we all know how much Douglas loves to build through the draft with offensive (and defensive) linemen.
If New York comes out of the bye flat on Sunday, proving that this team is going to be out of contention again this year, why not recoup some value from a veteran that was signed to a one-year deal? Considering the caliber of players the Jets added in the fourth and fifth rounds during this year's draft, who knows who they'll find using Baltimore's fourth in next year's class.
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