NY Jets eyeing veteran WR with ties to Aaron Glenn and new regime

The NY Jets will likely need to overhaul their entire wide receiver room in 2025. Davante Adams and Allen Lazard are expected to be released, and even Garrett Wilson’s future is a little murky. The team has very few sure things at the position heading into the offseason.

The Jets will need to add multiple receivers to their roster in the coming months and will do their due diligence in both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft as they look to reshape their wide receiver corps.

One player who's already been connected to the Jets is veteran Tim Patrick. ESPN's Rich Cimini identified Patrick as a "free agent to watch" for the Jets this offseason primarily due to his ties to both head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey.

Patrick spent over half a decade playing under Mougey in Denver before signing with the Detroit Lions, where he crossed paths with Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, this past summer.

NY Jets could target WR Tim Patrick in free agency

Originally signed by the Denver Broncos (after brief stints with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers) as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Patrick spent the first few seasons of his career as a depth piece before working his way into a prominent role in Denver's offense.

Patrick hauled in 104 catches for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns between 2020 and 2021 as a full-time starter for the Broncos. He was rewarded with a three-year, $34.5 million contract extension in November of 2021 and looked to be an important part of the Broncos' passing game moving forward.

Unfortunately, disaster struck when Patrick tore his ACL in early August 2022, causing him to miss the entire season. He returned in 2023, only to tear his Achilles in July, sidelining him for another year.

By the time he returned in 2024, the Broncos had moved on and he was released after the team failed to find a trade partner for him. He'd sign with the Lions' practice squad where he would complete his NFL comeback.

The former Utah standout quickly worked his way into the Lions' offense and was signed to the active roster less than a month later. Patrick finished the season with 33 catches for 394 yards and three touchdowns, eventually taking over as Detroit's WR3.

At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, Patrick is a big-bodied receiver with reliable hands. He was not credited with a single drop in his lone season with the Lions and has a career drop rate of just 5.4 percent.

Patrick also doubles as one of the best run-blocking wide receivers in the NFL. His 63.6 Pro Football Focus run-block grade ranked fifth among all wide receivers with at least 250 run-block snaps in 2024.

The Jets will need to make multiple additions to their wide receiver room in the offseason, and while Patrick may not be a flashy addition, he could serve as a valuable depth option as a WR3/WR4 with strong red-zone skills and blocking abilities.

His familiarity with Glenn, Engstrand, and Mougey makes him an obvious target, and he likely will be available for cheap considering he played last year on the veteran's minimum. Don't be surprised if the Jets add Tim Patrick to their receiver room this offseason.

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