At 2-6, the spiraling New York Jets are not in Super Bowl contention and could trade impending free agents like Brandin Echols. With Aaron Rodgers back on the field and complemented by one of the league’s better rosters, the 2024 season was supposed to be New York’s opportunity to finally compete. Instead, Rodgers failed to recapture his MVP form, as the once-great quarterback can no longer elevate this roster. With Robert Saleh fired and the team unlikely to make the playoffs, it only makes sense for the Jets to accept this isn’t their year and prepare for the inevitable rebuild.
Now entering the final year of his contract, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes that Brandin Echols has drawn interest on the trade market. A former sixth-round pick, the Kentucky product began his career as a starter before falling down a loaded depth chart. While he’s no Sauce Gardner or D.J. Reed, Echols can be a valuable depth option who provides value on special teams. He shouldn’t cost too much in a trade, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens could both use a player like him on their respective rosters.
Chiefs, Ravens Top Trade Destinations For Brandin Echols
The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s last undefeated team, but they have a worse point differential than the Denver Broncos. While nobody denies that the reigning Super Bowl champions are the team to beat, they’re not quite as unstoppable as their record suggests. While the DeAndre Hopkins trade should bring some much-needed life to the passing attack, the Chiefs should try and bolster the defense with another addition or two. Former fourth-round pick Jaylen Watson was in the midst of a remarkable season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, but a Brandin Echols trade should minimize the effect of his injury.
Trent McDuffie remains one of the league’s premier cornerbacks, but someone must step up opposite him. Joshua Williams, Nazeeh Johnson, and Christian Roland-Wallace have not played well this year, so perhaps it’s time to add some outside help. Brandin Echols is not a lockdown cornerback by any stretch of the imagination, but the trade candidate has starting experience and could be a complementary role player for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Seeing as the team doesn’t have a path to landing an elite cornerback, they might as well get as many adequate options as they can find.
Struggling Secondary
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the NFL’s elite contenders, but the secondary could be their Achilles heel. With Marlon Humphrey and first-round pick Nate Wiggins sidelined, the volatile Jameis Winston went off while powering the Browns to an upset victory. Completing 27 of his 41 passes for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, Winston looked like a franchise quarterback in Week 8.
Baltimore’s secondary will improve when Humphrey and Wiggins return to the lineup, but they still need more help. Despite their 5-3 record, the Ravens are a below-average defense when it comes to stopping the pass. While some of this comes from a pass rush without enough depth, the majority of the blame rests on a secondary that is not playing up to its potential. A Brandin Echols trade should provide more competition to this room and ensure performances like Winston’s don’t become a regular occurrence for this defense.
Main Photo: Shaun Brooks – USA Today Sports
