Arian Smith receives lifeline after Jets swing WR trade with Seahawks

It's Wednesday, so that means the New York Jets are making a wide receiver move.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported that the Jets are sending wide receiver Irv Charles to the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, for a conditional 2028 seventh-round pick.

Charles, a former undrafted free agent, had spent the last three seasons in New York. He didn't see the field in 2025, recovering from a torn ACL suffered late in the 2024 season.

The former Penn State Nittany Lion was primarily a special-teams player for the Jets, playing 70% and 63% of snaps in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He never saw much action on offense.

Now, the Jets have cleared some space in their wide receiver room, and it may just be exactly what 2025 fourth-round pick Arian Smith needed to have a better chance of making the team.

Arian Smith's odds of making Jets roster improve after Irv Smith trade

While Charles didn't see the field much in 2025, it gave two other Jets opportunities to play gunner on special teams.

Cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers and Smith both received chances at the spot, and both flashed at various points throughout the season.

For Smith, getting use at special teams is a positive development, but that's not what the Jets drafted him for out of Georgia.

Thanks to his blazing speed, the second-year player was supposed to add a key element to their offense, taking the top off opposing defenses.

Instead, Smith's rookie season was disappointing, to say the least, and he ended up losing playing time to the likes of Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard, and Tyler Johnson.

In 16 appearances, Smith caught seven passes for 52 yards and had four rushing attempts for 13 yards. Despite being a fourth-round pick, it's safe to say the Jets were expecting more.

Special teams coordinator Chris Banjo praised Smith for his willingness to improve earlier this offseason, so maybe a big summer is just what he needs to get back in his good graces with fans, and he certainly has a better chance now with Charles out of the way.

The former Bulldog will be competing with special teams ace Isaiah Williams for the Jets' final wide receiver roster spot throughout OTAs and training camp.

Easily entrenched ahead of him are Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., and Tim Patrick.

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