Jets Draft Recap
date
Apr 30, 2024
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Jets-Draft-Recap
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Jets
Football
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New York Jets draft Synopsis
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Post
Before I delve into the Jets active 2024 draft, I must say, I am left puzzled after a trade that was completed yesterday morning with the Denver Broncos. New York sent veteran edge rusher John Franklin-Myers to the mile high city in exchange for a sixth round pick in the ‘26 draft, just announced by the NFL to be in Green Bay.
Joe Douglas stated in an interview that the Jets had known, after trading for Haason Reddick and his $15M cap hit in ‘24, that it would be “impossible” to keep JFM at his current salary, which makes me wonder; does Douglas have other plans for the $7M in cap space he just cleared? My guess would be yes.
A few premiere receivers across the NFL entering contract years have outwardly confirmed a desire to be traded and the Jets have a few question marks regarding depth at the position with Mike Williams rehabbing an ACL injury, and Allen Lazard becoming a shell of the player he was in Green Bay.
One name that is circulating in trade rumors is Brandon Aiyuk, who is set to suit up for the 49ers under a fifth year option worth roughly $14M, but he feels that number is too low considering his above average production last season. The 26 year old Nevada native has steadily increased his output each of his first four seasons in San Francisco racking up nearly 4000 yards and 25 touchdowns. The General Manager of the 49ers, John Lynch, anticipates the fifth year receiver to indeed play for the Niners this season despite his dismay, not to mention several teams across the league probing for a possible trade, but it’s something to keep an eye on for the Jets in the coming months.
The 2024 draft represents years of mediocre seasons for the Jets hopefully coming to an end. It’s a precarious situation; coming off the Injury of Aaron Rodgers with a stacked defense and not many glaring holes to fill. It’s not typical that a team is drafting so high, yet has enormous expectations going into next season.
It was apparent, following the free agency acquisitions of RT Morgan Moses, LG John Simpson, and LT Tyron Smith, along with the Jets first round selection of LT, Olu Fashanu; that Joe Douglas was aware of their o-line struggles from a year ago and has made filling those positions a priority.
In 2023, the Jets were among the league leaders in sacks allowed with 64, not a statistic the Jets would like to repeat in the upcoming season. Douglas has uttered time and time again “Our focus is to keep 12 upright”... No sh** Joe. Despite my anguish with JD’s tiresome mantra of the offseason, he is constructing what is now shaping up to be a deep o-line group.
The Jets were poised and in control the entire draft, trading back when necessary and finding the players they wanted at the right moments. Without a second round selection; a result of the Rodgers deal from a year ago, the Jets pick at 65 would be next. The Jets selected receiver Malachi Corley out of Western Kentucky who, ironically, drew many comparison to the aforementioned Aiyuk and also Deebo Samuel for his relentless physical nature and impressive YAC numbers in college. Corley was rated very high for the pick in which the Jets were able to scoop him up with and could very well end up being an impactful piece of the offense.
The remainder of the draft was further directed towards bulking the teams offensive depth with the selections of RB Braellon Allen in the fourth round and Florida State QB, Jordan Travis in the fifth. Both picks highlight the long term thought process of Joe Douglas and how he expects the team will look in the post Aaron Rodgers era.
An abundance of young impressionable talent under the veteran leadership of Rodgers is a recipe for sustaining a winning culture and breeding the right mindset for years to come.
In the past four years, Joe Douglas has had the bitter sweet privilege in drafting a player at 15 or earlier in the first round, let’s not have it happen again in 2025, please.