The NFL Draft is officially less than a month away and the league is beginning to see the smokescreen fade within the top of the order. Caleb Williams is essentially a Chicago Bear already and one of Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels should be locks for Washington. However, the rest of the top ten picks are still up in the air. The Vikings created an opportunity to move into a top-10 pick for a franchise quarterback. The NFL Draft presents a great opportunity for the New York Jets. While Joe Douglas addressed major areas of need in the offensive line and wide receiver, there’s still work to be done. Closing the gap between New York and the rest of the AFC is difficult with only two picks within the top 100, especially with long-term quarterback remaining a need. Joe Douglas must prioritize trading down from 10.
Free Fall? Why New York Should Trade Down from the 10th Pick
As of this writing, the New York Jets have the tenth & 72nd overall picks within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. The Aaron Rodgers trade gave Green Bay the Jets second-round draft pick thanks to Aaron’s injury. This puts a firm ceiling on the type of talent they can add. The opportunity is there to add win-now talent. Experts have projected players like Olu Fashanu & Brock Bowers as potential picks. Both would be of great help to the offense. But, the team still needs to address depth on the offensive line and safety. On top of finding a developmental quarterback for Rodgers to mentor.
Gain a second-round pick
Remaining at 10 allows New York to add a potential immediate upgrade. As rumors swirl of Minnesota trading up for JJ McCarthy, it can result in one of Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers being available at 10. While both would be great additions, it remains unlikely to happen. If the opportunity to remain within the top 20 picks while gaining a second-round pick opens more avenues to explore. There will still be options along the offensive line and wide receiver to choose from. One scenario could see them trade down with Pittsburgh, draft Fautanu at 20, and use a second-round pick on a wide receiver.
Improves the chances of adding a developmental quarterback
The New York Jets have made the most of their limited time with Aaron Rodgers attempting to close the gap in the AFC. At the same time, keeping a 40-year-old who is coming off a major injury is concerning long term. The Zach Wilson era is over, quarterback remains a position of need. The position can be addressed in the later rounds, but the options offer limited upside. Other teams are looking for quarterbacks as well.
So, gaining a second-round pick will allow New York to address their needs. While giving them the option to add a quarterback on day two. The team met with Jordan Travis out of Florida State. Scouts attended Michael Pratt‘s pro day. Either man would be a great addition and available by the 72nd pick.
Potential trade partners
It takes more than one team to make a trade. There is a depth of offensive talent within the top 10. Primarily at right tackle. Both Taliese Fuaga and JC Lantham can immediately start for teams. The New Orleans Saints heard less than optimal news on Ryan Ramzyzk’s knee. Along with Trevor Penning’s lackadaisical play, the offensive line remains necessary. Could New Orleans look to trade up for Fuaga if New York can gain their 45th pick?
Brock Bowers could also generate trade interest if available at 10. After the history-making season from Sam LaPorta, teams understand the value of a great rookie tight end. Imagine the potential of Brock Bowers in Cincinnati joining Burrow and Chase. Trading down to 18 to get the 49th pick would be smart for New York. Another option could include the Los Angeles Rams. While Tyler Higbee recovers from his knee injury, Les Snead can add another long-term weapon next to Nacua and Williams.
Finally, one last trade-up candidate could be the Detroit Lions. Detroit was minutes away from securing their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history last year. With their core intact, they are all but certain to return. After losing Jonah Jackson, they could look at long-term offensive guard options to learn from Kevin Zeitler. Adding a talented run blocker in Taliese Fuaga next to Penei Sewell would be massive for the Lions strong running game.
Main Photo: [Kirby Lee] – USA Today Sports
