This forgotten Giants receiver provides perfect risk-free trade for Darren Mougey

Between the draft and several recent extensions, New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey has earned consistent praise throughout the offseason.

With training camp only weeks away, we may have seen the last of Mougey making the big-name moves. However, the Jets shouldn’t be done yet, especially if Giants receiver Jalin Hyatt becomes available ahead of Week 1.

The Giants believed they found a steal in Hyatt, the former Tennessee Volunteers standout receiver who fell to them in the 2023 draft’s third round. Instead, Hyatt fell out of favor with the last coaching staff, only recording 13 catches for 97 yards over the last two years.

John Harbaugh and the Giants’ new coaching staff added several veteran receivers this offseason, including signing three — most notably Odell Beckham Jr. — in early June. 

Should the Jets trade for the Giants WR Jalin Hyatt?

Hyatt is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he should come cheap. Even if the Giants move on from Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster, it’s hard to see Hyatt making the 53-man roster without other players getting hurt. 

Enter the Jets, who could likely acquire Hyatt for a conditional late-round pick. It’d be a relatively small-time move for the Jets, especially when compared to the rest of their offseason. 

Not only do the Jets now have a stopgap quarterback in Geno Smith, but they’ve also awarded Breece Hall and Joe Tippmann new contracts. The Jets would benefit from having another young receiver to play behind Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell.

If the worst-case scenario is that the Jets waste a sixth- or seventh-round pick, so be it. Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein accurately called Hyatt a boom-or-bust prospect. 

“Hyatt’s gliding gait disguises explosive acceleration that can lead to easy separation on deep throws,” Zierlein wrote. “However, he does display inconsistency on contested catches.”

Zierlein wrote that he viewed Hyatt as a first- or second-round prospect. He instead fell to No. 73. The potential is certainly there, and the Giants’ quarterback shuffling during his first two seasons likely didn’t help.

If the Giants believed in Hyatt, they wouldn’t have revamped their receiver room throughout the spring. Regardless of what the Giants do with Hyatt, Mougey and the Jets should be paying close attention. 

When talking about depth receivers, the Jets could do far worse than someone with 41 games under his belt. 

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