As of this writing, the New York Jets have one more game before reaching their bye week. Before the Jets face the Philadelphia Eagles, New York has made it through their most difficult stretch of the season. Despite a losing record at 2-3, the team managed to play well considering the losses to Kansas City and New England were one-possession games. The defense is slowly regaining top form and the offense has looked much improved since the Cowboys game. Heading into the bye week, the team will have to assess some positions of need. This becoming more concerning with the season-ending injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker and DJ Reed currently in concussion protocol. Joe Douglas will have to figure it out.
General Manager Joe Douglas has done well to build a competitive team since arriving in 2019. After steady progression over the past two seasons, the team is ready to throw themselves into the wildcard hunt. The competition in the AFC is staggering, but there are signs of hope. If they can manage to make an impact addition or two, their 12-year streak of missing the postseason should hopefully come to an end.
What Joe Douglas Should Access at the Trade Deadline
The trade deadline for the 2023 NFL season will take place on October 31, 2023. All 32 teams will have until 4:00 p.m. EST to make trades for the remainder of the league year. It’s arguably the second most stressful weak in a front office executive’s tenure in the league. We’ve seen franchises turn their fortunes around or establish years of heartache with certain deals. So for Joe Douglas, timing and evaluation will be crucial to protecting the Jets’ long-term interests, while improving the team this season.
Positions to access: Offensive Line
Heading into the season, analysts were concerned with the Jets’ offensive line heading into training camp. Many felt uneasy with Duane Brown being the team’s starting left tackle. But, after an injury to Brown, the team redesigned the offensive line and it looked much better. Unfortunately, the loss of guard/tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker for the season is a brutal blow to a much-improved unit.
With Vera-Tucker injured, it’s likely the team will focus on the tackle before the deadline. The interior of the line looks sturdy with Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, and rookie Joe Tippmann on the inside. Mekhi Becton has been at left tackle during this time. Should the team add a left tackle, it’s probable Becton will move to his old position at right tackle again.
One name to consider is Denver Broncos left tackle Garrett Bolles. A former all-pro in 2020, Bolles has been a mainstay on the Broncos line since 2017. His familiarity with Hackett from 2022 should make him an easy plug-and-play type to sure up the left side of the line. He’s also under contract until 2025, so he can also protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside in 2024 as well.
Cornerback
Depth is vital for any team to succeed. It’s the depth of the front seven that allowed the Jets to have one of the best defensive lines in the league this season. With all that talent, it would bode well for the same approach to the secondary.
DJ Reed and Sauce Gardner remain one of the league’s brightest duos at the cornerback position. DJ Reed will miss his second consecutive game due to a concussion. New York needs another player to help step up while the veteran can make a full recovery.
One potential addition to consider is Tennessee Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton. Fulton hasn’t lived up to expectations after the second-round pick in the 2020 draft has been plagued by injuries. But, perhaps a change of scenery can do him well. Taking a reduced role in New York will allow him to learn from Saleh and Reed to hopefully improve. In addition, being in the final year of his rookie contract makes him a solid low-risk addition.
Wide Receiver
To get the most out of the offense with Zach Wilson, the Jets need to run play-action more often. Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard have done well as the team’s primary targets this year. However, it would bode well for New York to pursue additional reinforcements in the position group. As New York continues to reshape Zach Wilson’s confidence, bringing in a veteran receiver who can contribute would be wise.
To help the team long-term, Joe Douglas has to be smart with whom they pursue. With no second-round pick thanks to the Aaron Rodgers trade, the Jets would be wise to keep their first-round pick instead of use it in a blockbuster trade. Though they won’t cost a first-round pick, there are options available.
One name to pursue would be Arizona Cardinals receiver Marquise Brown. Brown is in the final year of his contract and Joshua Dobbs has involved rookie Michael Wilson as the primary target in Arizona. Brown’s tenure in Arizona hasn’t produced similar results, but he’s still the same playmaker that had a 1,000-yard season in Baltimore with former MVP Lamar Jackson. He would be a versatile weapon who could complement Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard, while he’s also in the last season of his contract.
Main Photo:[Rich Schultz/Getty Images] – USA Today Sports
