New York Jets talking trade for Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith?

The New York Jets have been the subject of rumors regarding a possible trade for Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith in what would be a massive acquisition for the team.

The New York Jets have been the center of a ton of trade talks in recent weeks as the trade deadline nears, but one recent report could perhaps be the most interesting of all. There has been a rumor going around that the Jets could be in talks to acquire cornerback Jimmy Smith.

This rumor was reported on Twitter by NFL insider Chad Forbes sparking plenty of discussion online. Let’s be honest, however. Although he has a sizable following, Forbes isn’t exactly the most high-profile source.

That isn’t to call to question his validity, but it’s certainly a rumor to be taken with a grain of salt. Essentially, this isn’t Adam Schefter or Ian Rapoport reporting this.

Nonetheless, Smith would be a massive upgrade for the Jets at one of the weakest positions on the team. The Baltimore Ravens cornerback has been among the more underrated corners in the league for quite some time but has dealt with injury issues as of late.

Smith has missed pretty much the entirety of this season dealing with a knee injury, only playing six snaps in Week 1 before exiting with the injury. However, he recently returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since suffering said injury in Week 1.

The 31-year-old is on the last year of his contract and his play has declined slightly since his standout 2017 season which is why the Ravens could look to part ways with him. On top of that, the recent acquisition of Marcus Peters could make him expendable.

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Still, if Baltimore is trying to make a playoff push — which they obviously are — it doesn’t make too much sense to try and trade away one of their top defenders, regardless of his cap hit.

In the report, Forbes indicated that offensive guard Kelechi Osemele could also have been involved in the trade talks, however, the recent debacle surrounding his injury likely prevents that from happening.

The Jets could certainly use some help at cornerback as it remains their biggest weakness on defense and possibly on the entire roster. While Brian Poole has done an excellent job manning the slot this season, the team’s outside corners have struggled immensely.

Darryl Roberts is a career backup who has had his moments but is better off as a dime cornerback. Nate Hairston has also had his moments but has struggled to stay healthy. And the less that’s said about Trumaine Johnson, the better.

Jimmy Smith would immediately step in and be the Jets’ top cornerback, even with his injuries and declining play.

While it’s important to take this rumor with a grain of salt, it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward. For the Jets, this move would make all the sense in the world. For Baltimore, there might need to be a bit more of an explanation.

Regardless, we should be in for a very interesting 10 days as the trade deadline quickly approaches.