Jets rumored to be eyeing trade back in draft, but with a catch

The New York Jets' free agency period has set them up for flexibility in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Jets traded for pass rusher Haason Reddick, who led the league with 12.5 sacks in the fourth quarter during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Reddick joins a defensive line rotation that's powered by five other former-first round picks — Quinnen Williams, Jermaine Johnson, Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas, and Will McDonald IV.

With linebacker C.J. Mosley at the second level and cornerback Sauce Gardner in the secondary, the Jets defense is poised to excel once again. On the offensive side of the ball, the Jets acquired veteran offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. The strong free agency "opens the door to a lot of possibilities" during the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Joe Douglas said during the league meetings in Orlando.

New York Jets want to trade the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

The New York Jets will have a number of options with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they would prefer "a trade proposal from a quarterback-needy team, which would allow them to acquire a top-100 pick," according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.

For a trade market to exist, Johnson will have to hope that one of the top four quarterback prospects is still available when New York is on the clock. USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels, and North Carolina's Drake Maye are expected to be top-five picks, while Michigan's J.J. McCarthy has gaining steam over the past month.

The three teams selecting right after the Jets — the Minnesota Vikings (No. 11), the Denver Broncos (No. 12), and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) — are all expected to target quarterbacks. If one of the four prospects fall to No. 10, the Jets could have a competitive market for their first-round selection as teams attempt to overtake one another.

Jets could select a quarterback to play behind Aaron Rodgers

Of course, Douglas could also elect to draft the quarterback and develop him behind Rodgers. After last year's quarterback debacle, it would be wise to enter the 2024 NFL season with a viable plan at quarterback behind Rodgers, who will turn 41 in December. The Jets likely won't draft a quarterback until Day 3, however. After all, they've seen how Rodgers reacted the last time his team selected a quarterback with an early draft pick.

The Jets have the No. 10 overall pick, but they don't select again until the No. 72 overall pick in the third round. They sent their second-round pick to the Green Bay Packers as a part of the trade to acquire quarterback Aaron Rodgers last offseason. A trade down could help the Jets acquire more picks to round out their roster as they head into a pivotal season for the current regime.

After trading for Rodgers last offseason, expectations for the Jets were at an all-time high heading into the 2023 NFL season. Then, Rodgers ruptured his Achilles tendon just four snaps into the season opener. Without a backup quarterback plan, the offense went into a tailspin. The Jets had the second-worst offense in total yards and ranked 29th in scoring.

There has been friction between New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and team owner Woody Johnson — even if it never turned into a heated argument. Johnson has confessed to getting angry with Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, particularly regarding the state of the Jets offense.

"The discussions I've had in the last couple of months, they've seen me about as mad as I can be with what was going on, with the offense particularly," Johnson said. "We have all this talent, and we have to deploy talent properly. So I think they all got the message. This is it. This is the time to go. We've got to produce this year. We have to do a lot better than seven [wins], definitely."

Everything is on the line for the current Jets' regime. Saleh has produced an 18-33 record in his three seasons as head coach, while Douglas has overseen a 27-60 record. The Jets have a 13-year playoff drought, the longest among all major sports leagues in North America.