Every offense needs playmakers and the Jets are in prime position to add several in free agency and the draft.
With Le’Veon Bell entrenched at running back and a quartet of tight ends led by Chris Herndon, Joe Douglas needs to shore up the wide receiver group, especially if he lets Robby Anderson and Demaryius Thomas leave in free agency. There are several free agent wideouts the Jets can target this offseason, as well as a dearth of prospects in the upcoming draft, but Douglas would be wise to scour the trade block as well for some players that could immediately upgrade his receiving corps.
The Jets aren’t tied directly to any of the following players, but all options should be on the table for Douglas his offseason. With that, here are five wide receivers the Jets should look at for potential trades.
Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery
Adam Gase needs playmakers on offense for Sam Darnold to work and Jeffery would be a solid addition to the Jets given his veteran skillset and connection to both Gase and Joe Douglas.
Jeffery caught 54 receptions for 807 yards and four touchdowns in 2017 with the Bears when Gase was his coach and when Douglas was the director of pro scouting. Jeffery also played for the Eagles for two years during Douglas’ tenure in Philadelphia.
Jeffery would become the Jets’ best wide receiver option with his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame, but there are obvious concerns when it comes to his production and durability. He’s coming off his least productive season since his rookie year in 2012, hasn’t turned in a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2014 and hasn’t played a full 16-game schedule since 2017.
Jeffery reportedly “would welcome the change of scenery,” according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, but there’s no telling what the Eagles would want in return for his services. Given his injury history – he just had Lisfranc surgery for his foot in December that comes with a nine-month recovery period – and the $9.910 million base salary the Jets would take in, it wouldn’t take much to acquire Jeffery, though it would be a huge risk.
Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr.
We wrote about the pros and cons of trading for OBJ already, but if a player of his caliber is on the trade block you have to at least explore what it would take to acquire him. New Browns GM Andrew Berry said he envisions Beckham’s future is with the Browns, but if his old Eagles coworker Joe Douglas calls him up, he could reconsider.
Beckham would instantly become Darnold’s go-to target and it could turn the Jets offense into a powerhouse quickly. There would be no shortage of targets for him, especially if the Jets let Robby Anderson walk. The risk is almost minimized by his contract – a $14.25 million cap hit with no dead money after the 2020 season.
It would take a lot to get OBJ, but he’s already a proven commodity at the position.
Vikings WR Stefon Diggs
Vikings GM Rick Spielman said Diggs won’t be traded, but that really doesn’t mean much nowadays. Diggs is one of the most electrifying wideouts in the game and is only 26 with a manageable contract. It would take a lot – likely a first-round pick, at least – but that might be worth it if Douglas is looking for an instant infusion of firepower on offense.
Diggs is coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and has 165 receptions since 2018. He’s a monster all over the field and fits perfectly into Adam Gase’s offense both as a possession receiver and big-play threat.
Rams WR Josh Reynolds
This would be an underrated trade for an underrated player. Reynolds really hasn’t been given too many opportunities during his three years with the Rams while playing behind the likes of Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks, but he has shown flashes when given the chance.
Reynolds’ biggest skill is his ability to move the chains. He only caught 50 passes for 728 yards and six touchdowns in the past two seasons, but 44 of them were for first downs. That matters on offense and he’d be a great weapon for Darnold alongside Jamison Crowder, Chris Herndon, Le’Veon Bell, and any other pass-catchers the Jets bring in. Reynolds’ 6-foot-3, 196-pound frame is also almost identical to Robby Anderson if the Jets let him walk this offseason.
Dolphins WR Albert Wilson
Gase only coached Wilson for one season in Miami, but he was heavily involved in the offense for the first seven weeks of the season before landing on injured reserve with a hip injury. He was the second-most targeted wide receiver on the Dolphins in the first half of the season behind only Danny Amendola – who finished with three more targets in the same amount of games.
Wilson is a speedster and would fit well in Gase’s offense given his familiarity and skillset as a slot receiver. The issues with Wilson are durability – he’s missed 15 games over the past three seasons – and consistent production – he’s never caught more than 43 passes in a season and only finished with more than 500 receiving yards once in his six-year career. The other problem is his contract, which comes with a $10.833 million cap hit in 2020.
