Bonus Edition: Trade Deadline Preview

Will the Jets stick or twist as we approach the trade deadline?

🗽Good Afternoon Jets fans, and welcome to this bonus edition of The Jets Way. I had planned to release this tomorrow, however, I thought with the trade deadline fast approaching I needed to get this out before the content was completely redundant. Will the Jets roll with what they have? Or will we see some movement? Let’s get into it.

Will Jamison Crowder get traded?

We should probably start by looking at who the Jets could move before the deadline. Even after that pulsating victory against the Bengals yesterday, the reality is the Jets are 2-5 and in the process of rebuilding the roster to be consistently competitive.

Jamison Crowder is a fine player, he had 8 catches against the Bengals and constantly got open for Mike White. He doesn’t turn 29 until the summer of 2022 and he’s currently in the final year of his contract.

Crowder is a safety net for a QB, a reliable target and while the Jets could absolutely get a draft pick for him, it will likely be a 5th or lower. Is that 5th pick more valuable to the Jets (who have a ton of picks already) than a wide receiver who could help build their franchise QB’s confidence?

It all comes down to what the Jets could get. There are a couple of teams who could be interested in Crowder, the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts come to mind.

Would trading Crowder help Moore?

Some have speculated that trading Crowder would open up the field for Moore. But for that to happen the Jets would need to change their philosophy about how they view Moore. Crowder runs almost exclusively out of the slot, Moore on the other hand is seen as more of an outside receiver.

When crowder was injured earlier this season, the jets turned to Braxton Berrios to fill in at the slot position and not Moore. I know we were missing Corey yesterday, but the game against the Bengals showed there is room for both on this roster.

Will Marcus Maye get traded?

Rumors have been swirling all season in relation to Marcus Maye and his future with the team. At one point a report was leaked that indicated that Maye wanted to be traded, but had not formally asked for it. Maye then came out and denied that he wanted to get traded and reaffirmed his 100% commitment to the Jets organization.

The water has been muddied with Maye’s pending legal issue with his DUI and the small fact that he decided to hide it from the organization for months, while his agent was running his mouth on Twitter.

The latest rumor we’re hearing is that the Jets are willing to move Maye, but only if they can get at least a 3rd round pick back.

Maye is currently playing on the franchise tag this season, which is set to pay him $10.6 million, a pretty penny. But according to multiple reports, he wants to be paid among the best safeties in football. Jamal Adams $70 million contract with Seattle is out of the question for the Jets who won’t pay a premium for the safety position.

Maye will be 29 next season and the Jets may believe it’s time to move on. If we could bag a 3rd round pick then I’d be happy for Maye to get moved, but I’m not sure a team is willing to part with that for Marcus, who’s having a down year so far by his standards.

If we were to move him, I could see someone like Tampa Bay coming in with a decent offer. Todd Bowles liked him and he played well under Todd.

What would that mean for the position?

Marcus Maye may not be playing as well as we know Marcus Maye can play, but he’s still head and shoulders the best safety on the roster.

Following the season-ending injury to Lamarcus Joyner, nobody has stepped up to stake a claim, Ashtyn Davis makes a splashy play here and there, but he’s caught out of position more times than not. Sharrod Neasman is a decent plug-and-play type guy, but losing Maye would seriously hurt this secondary.

Will Denzel Mims get traded?

I don’t think the Jets trade Denzel Mims, the 2021 season has been tough on the former Baylor star, but I do not believe that his race has been run with the Jets.

He dropped a touchdown against the Bengals, which would have been his first career regular-season TD in the NFL.

He found himself in the dog house to start the season and was inactive for several games before coming back for the New England game to record his highest snap count of the season to that point.

With the injury to Corey Davis, he got an opportunity to start against the Bengals and while he may have only had a couple of catches, it was an encouragement that he could find himself back in the rotation mix as the season progresses.

We’re just over one year removed from Mims being taken in the 2nd round and while he hasn’t shown the growth we’d have hoped for, he’s young and he’s cheap, you don’t give up on those players unless you’re 100% certain they’re not going to work out. I don’t think the Jets are at that point yet.

Will the Jets bring anyone in?

I don’t think the Jets will be buyers at the deadline, but Joe Douglas is all about value, so he’ll absolutely be doing the rounds on the phones, testing the water for value and seeing if he can grab anyone on the cheap and jump ahead of the free agency queue.

Here are a couple of names to just keep your eye on:

O.J Howard, TE - Tampa Bay

This is a popular name with Jets fans. Howard has never lived up to his first-round draft selection, but he’s also never been the focal point of an attack that has so many dangerous weapons. Howard is a free agent after this season and the Jets could be willing to part with a draft pick (or potentially with Marcus Maye) to get a head start. The Bucs have Gronk and Brate, so they can survive without Howard.

Andre Dillard, OT - Philadelphia Eagles

Another first-round pick that just hasn’t lived up to expectation. The 22nd overall pick in the 2019 draft has failed to hold down a spot on the Eagles line and was beaten out this year by Jordan Mailata a year after missing the 2020 season with a torn bicep. Obviously, the Jets won’t need a left tackle but with Morgan Moses, a free agent after 2021, and George Fant a potential cap casualty, maybe they have interest in a reclamation project or trying Dillard at that RT position.

Evan Engram, TE - New York Giants

Engram has an issue with drops, that is an unavoidable fact. He may have only had one so far this year (26 targets), but he had a league-leading 8 last year for his position. He’s also an incredible talent that has game-breaking ability as showcased by his 13 career touchdowns and career average 11 yards per reception. I’m not sure the Jets would be or should be willing to give up anything for Engram but he’s a name you’re likely to hear a lot about.

Hayden Hurst, TE - Atlanta Falcons

I think it’s clear to anyone who’s watched the Falcons this year that Kyle Pitts is the future at the TE position, which means the Falcons could decide to move on from 28-year-old Hayden Hurst. A former first-round pick of the Ravens, Hurst has been a solid if unspectacular player. 3 drops on 167 targets would indicate he has good hands, but his pass-blocking leaves a lot to be desired. I wouldn’t give up anything of value for Hurst.