NY Jets: A look at the potential trade options for Joe Douglas early in the 2022 NFL Draft

The New York Jets are facing the defining moment of their offseason at next week's NFL Draft. And while there are a ton of questions to be answered with the Jets scheduled to make four picks in the top 38, including two in the top 10, one of the biggest questions is if general manager Joe Douglas will be trading any of those premium draft picks.

Douglas has been making it clear now for months that he’s open for business. A fact that he reiterated when asked about a potential trade at last month’s NFL owners’ meetings.

"Obviously, it depends on who we’re talking about," Douglas told reporters. "If it’s the right opportunity, we’ll consider any packages, but ultimately, we want to talk about a package that makes sense for us and gives us the ability to maintain our flexibility.”

But that was when a player trade — perhaps for a big-time wide receiver — seemed more likely. At this stage, it doesn’t look like that trade is going to materialize. But the Jets will still have options to make a trade next week, here’s what it could look like.

Projecting the trade options at No. 4

Of the Jets' top four draft picks, this is the one that is most likely for the Jets to make in its original spot. It’s unlikely that a team will step up and offer the kind of package that would get Douglas to trade the pick because there’s no consensus big-time quarterback in this draft.

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

In other years the Jets would be in a good position because Atlanta (No. 8 pick) and Seattle (No. 9) are both looking for quarterbacks and might be looking to vault the Panthers (No. 6) who are also looking for one. But given the current NFL landscape, it’s hard to see that materializing next week.

This draft has some high-end options at edge rusher, tackle, safety and cornerback that could compel another team to make the Jets an appealing offer — Seattle, at No. 9, needs help at several of those positions — but the Jets have needs at all of those spots. So it makes more sense for them to satisfy one of those needs, rather than trying to make a deal here.

Projecting the trade options at No. 10

This is the Jets’ most likely pick to be traded heading into the draft — and we’d put the odds at about 50-50. After likely making a pick at No. 4 the Jets will have satisfied a need and if they believe they can get an impact player five or six picks later, they could be willing to trade down to add another high pick on day two of this draft.

One scenario that would make sense is a trade with the Eagles, who have the No. 15 pick and the No. 18 pick. The Jets could send No. 10 to the Eagles in return for No. 15, No. 51 (second round) and a third-or fourth-round pick in 2023. At No. 15 they could still snag a top receiver or corner in this draft.

Another option for the Jets could be the Saints, who have picks at No. 16 and No. 19 in the first round and would be far more likely to jump up the board and grab a quarterback at this stage than in the top five. The Jets could send the No. 10 pick to New Orleans (they might need to throw in a later-round pick in 2023 to sweeten the deal) in return for the Saints' No. 16 pick and No. 48 (second round) pick in this year’s draft.

Douglas likes his draft picks and there are options to trade down from No. 10.

Trading up into the first round

Last year, Douglas showed his willingness to go and get a player he likes when he moved up from No. 23 to No. 14 to select guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. In the 2021 draft-night deal, made with the Vikings, the Jets sent the No. 23 selection and two third-round picks, No. 66 and No. 88 to the Vikings in exchange for No. 14 and a fourth-round pick, No. 143.

This year, the Jets don’t have a pick in the first round after No. 10, but they have those two picks early in the second round that would make it easy for them to vault into the final third of the first round. The problem is that there aren’t a ton of teams in that part of the first round who have a lot of picks and might be trading down.

But there is one potential good partner: the Chiefs, who have picks No. 29 and 30.

If the Jets wanted to move up into the back of the first round to get a player they like they could snag the No. 29 pick from the Chiefs in exchange for No. 38 and a fourth-round pick, likely No. 111.

Andy Vasquez is the Jets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Jets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com 

Twitter: @andy_vasquez