The Jets know they need to get more weapons to put around Zach Wilson.
So why hasn’t GM Joe Douglas been more aggressive in adding help at the wide receiver spot during free agency?
It’s starting to look clear what Douglas’ thinking is this offseason: 1) the Jets believe in Elijah Moore’s potential and 2) wide receivers are coming in next month’s draft.
When you look at how things stand here in late March, Gang Green’s receiver room for 2022 looks pretty much like it did during last year’s 4-13 campaign with Moore and Corey Davis as the lead horses. The Jets did re-sign fan favorite Braxton Berrios to a two-year, $12 million deal, but Jamison Crowder left to join their AFC East rival in the Buffalo Bills.
Keelan Cole is still a free agent and the Jets haven’t closed the door on a reunion, according to sources. It just comes down to how active the market will be him.
Big names such as Robert Woods, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, Christian Kirk and Allen Robinson were all available, but the Jets weren’t heavily after any of them for various reasons.
Naturally, this left Jets fans a bit frantic because so much of a young quarterback’s development is tied to the talent surrounding him.
Let’s start with Moore, last season’s find out of Ole Miss with the 34th overall pick. The Jets’ staff believes he has the ability to be a No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL and can be the focal point of the passing attack.
The 5-10, 178-speedster finished his rookie campaign with 538 yards on 43 receptions with five touchdowns in 11 games (including six starts).
There’s been mention of Moore going in the slot because of his size even though he ran 70% of his routes from the outside spot, according to Next Gen Stats in 2021. But a source within the team said Moore is staying on the outside. He’ll rotate between the slot and outside, though, as the offense requires receivers to know all three spots.
The stretch of games that convinced the Jets of his No. 1 potential came between Week 8 and Week 13. Moore ranked sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (459), tied for first in touchdowns (five) and 10th in receptions (34). His performance stacked up with the likes of Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, Bills’ Stefon Diggs and Rams’ Cooper Kupp.
Moore is also working on his top-end speed to add another element to his game and stretch the field more often, according to someone close to him.
The main concern with Moore is his health. He missed time during training camp with a quad injury, missed a game after suffering a concussion against the Broncos and then missed the final five games after suffering another quad injury against the Eagles in Week 12.
If Moore can stay healthy, the Jets believe he can be the No. 1.
Second, the Jets are clearly targeting receiver help for Wilson through the draft. The question is how high up will they target a WR?
Gang Green currently has the No. 4, No. 10, No. 35 and No. 38 picks in the first two rounds.
It’s unlikely the Jets would select a receiver with the No. 4 pick, but at No. 10 they could select one of the marquee options of Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, USC’s Drake London, or Arkansas’ Treylon Burks.
London fits a type of receiver the Jets are missing in their offense.
The Jets want a big body receiver who can consistently make contested catches and be a big target in the red zone. Their receiver group had only 24 contested catches (Davis led with six) last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
How many times did Wilson throw a dime in a tight window and it was dropped in 2021? Countless
Adding a receiver who can win in tight windows with a defender attached to him is something the Jets desire.
What makes London attractive to some within the building from what I’ve heard is, “he has a skill set we don’t have.”
London, who had 1,084 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a junior, is 6-5.
In 2021, the majority of their contributing receivers were undersized in Moore, Berrios and Crowder. Davis and Cole are over six feet, but they don’t necessarily play with the level of physicality that London displays.
The only question is his top-end speed. His personal Pro Day is scheduled for April 5. He didn’t work out at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis because he was still rehabbing from a fractured ankle injury he suffered in October of last season.
Or the Jets could wait until the second round. The Jets have been boom or bust selecting receivers in the second round under Douglas. They hit on Moore, but dropped the ball with Denzel Mims in 2020.
So there’s inherent risk waiting until the second round, but here are some intriguing options.
Georgia’s George Pickens, who suffered a torn ACL in the spring of 2021 but came back during the later parts of the season, possesses a skill set of size, speed and athleticism at 6-3, 200 pounds. He ran a 4.47 at the combine.
Alabama’s Jameson Williams is a perplexing option because when he was healthy, he was the clear-cut No. 1 receiver in this class. Williams’ game-breaking speed was ungodly. He was the most dynamic receiver in college football. But he tore his ACL in the national championship game.
That hurt Williams’ stock. Could he fall to the second round? Maybe.
North Dakota State’s Christian Watson shot up draft boards after impressing at the Senior Bowl. The 6-4 receiver is a twitchy athlete who can play big but take the top off the defense. Watson ran a 4.36 at the combine.
Watson should be available in the second round. So there will be options if the Jets wait.
Gang Green will probably add a mid-level veteran receiver for depth purposes to account for the inevitable injuries that crop up. And there could be an unforeseen trade for a receiver as the Jets still have $30 million in cap space as the majority of their 2022 free agent signings have a low cap hit.
But, fear not Jets nation, Gang Green will be bringing in more help for Wilson.
()