For the New York Jets, trading back in the NFL Draft can help the rebuild
It isn’t exciting, but the idea of trading back in the NFL Draft holds certain potential for the New York Jets. The team’s rebuild under general manager Joe Douglas, after all, isn’t going to be completed with just one player.
Currently at No. 11, the Jets could land a potential impact player such as left tackle Andrew Thomas (Georgia) or one of the highly-rated wide receivers such as Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) or CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma). While the Jets most pressing need is offensive tackle, the need for a playmaker could make either Jeudy or Lamb enticing for Douglas.
But at the end of the day, the Jets need more than just a potential stud at left tackle or a Pro Bowl caliber wide receiver. The Jets could drop down in what is a deep draft at both positions and not only still find a Week 1 starter but also accumulate more picks.
The impulse of fans is always to get the superstar and either stay put with a high pick such as No. 11 or even move up. But this is a rebuild for a reason and the Jets have holes and needs all across their two-deep.
“Of course you always have to look at trading back, especially when you’re that high at No. 11,” said former NFL executive Marc Ross, now with the NFL Network.
“It depends on who is there that people want to jump up, especially one if one of those quarterbacks starts falling down, they'll be options there. But for the Jets, [it] depends on how they value whatever their positions of need. If it is offensive line and there is a guy that they feel with the top 10 or event the top five, top six, top seven – whatever – it comes down to where they feel that value is as opposed to them trading out of there and feeling there isn’t someone of that caliber at 11.
“So, you explore the options and see what the value is in what you're getting back and what player you’re giving up at that spot at No. 11.”
Ross spent a decade with the New York Giants as their vice president of player evaluation, winning two Super Bowls during that time. He also was a national scout with the Buffalo Bills for several years. He started his NFL career in 1997 with the Philadelphia Eagles where he was the director of college scouting.
The Jets potentially could make that move should a quarterback such as Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) or Justin Herbert (Oregon) inexplicably drop. Or a team might be intrigued enough in Jeudy or Lamb to make a move up and pick ahead of the wide receiver needy Las Vegas Raiders, currently at No. 12.
In other words, the Jets could move back in the draft anywhere within a dozen or so picks and still be in a position to grab a left tackle. Chances are in the late teens or early 20s, one if not both of Austin Jackson (USC) or Josh Jones (Houston) will be available, giving the Jets a chance to still nab a franchise left tackle. They could get a quality, solid starter and still accumulate multiple Day 2 and Day 3 picks to continue the rebuild if some team is willing to trade up.
More picks, if the Jets are able to land a few starters, could go a long ways towards getting over the hump and into the playoffs. One early draft pick, however, isn’t likely to do that.
