7 wide receivers the NY Jets should target at the trade deadline

At a surprising 3-3 entering their bye week, the NY Jets should absolutely be buyers at the NFL trade deadline, which arrives on Halloween.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas has already struck a deal on the trade market, sending offseason signee Mecole Hardman back to Kansas City for a late-round pick swap in 2025. New York is subtracting from their receiver room — the next step should be to add to it.

The 2023 Jets season, which started off as a cruel trick from the football gods when Aaron Rodgers went down after four plays, has become a treat after the Jets surpassed expectations, beating top teams like Buffalo and Philadelphia while standing toe toe-to-toe with the defending NFL champion Chiefs in their first six games.

As a result, the Jets are in the mix as a legitimate playoff contender in the AFC. New York is currently on the bubble, a half-game out of the playoff picture with 11 games left to play.

To make the postseason in an ultra-competitive AFC, the Jets are likely going to need to go no worse than 6-5 in their last 11 games. Preferably 7-4 to finish at 10-7.

Now more than ever, it's time for general manager Joe Douglas to strike while the iron is hot and deliver a deal or two that will help propel the Jets into the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons.

Furthermore, the timing of the Jets' bye week is perfect. The team's brain trust can sit back, reset, and reassess its roster, and then hopefully work the phones to plant seeds during the off-week to strike a deal or two to strengthen the team.

Even though it's easier said than done, considering that the Jets have an entanglement of draft capital, where the team can't deal away a first-round or even second-round pick next season due to the conditional trade terms of Aaron Rodgers playing time in 2023 (a 2024 conditional second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 60% of the snaps this season).

The silver lining in Rodgers' ill-fated Achilles injury is that the Jets won't lose their first next year, even if he defies reason and logic in a late-season return.

Nevertheless, even without top draft picks next year at their immediate trade disposal, there are still workarounds utilizing draft capital in 2024 and 2025 if necessary because any deal the Jets make is with the intention of not only strengthening the team during a potential run to the postseason but for the following season as well, when, presumably, Aaron Rodgers plays a full season in green and white.

In the post-Rodgers world, the team has proven, with an excellent defense, special teams, and two key difference-making players on offense in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, that it can compete at a high level.

The problem is that having Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall on offense might not be enough. The truth is that even with them, the team is barely getting by on that side of the ball — and it's more than just a Zach Wilson thing.

The NY Jets need to improve their passing game

The primary question with the Jets since Aaron Rodgers went down is whether or not Zach Wilson would be serviceable enough to keep the team respectable and afloat. The surprising answer so far is yes.

By no means has Wilson been spectacular, but he has made positive plays and decreased the level of negative plays that have plagued him since turning pro. Because of his dynamic skill set as a thrower, Wilson continues to show flashes of brilliance. It's still not consistent enough yet, but it's absolutely there.

The question now becomes, do the Jets have enough quality pass-catching options to elevate Wilson's play even further?

It's become increasingly evident that the Jets' passing game lacks players who can consistently create separation and challenge a defense outside of Garrett Wilson. When Zach Wilson does have time to see the field and throw, he's had to throw into very tight windows to receivers who are not getting open.

The other guys in the Jets receiving corps, like Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Xavier Gipson, are complementary role players at best. Opposing defenses have a simple task when facing New York's passing game — contain Garrett Wilson and force the other receivers to get open and beat you.

As evidenced in the Jets' improbable victory over the Eagles, the moment Garrett Wilson left the game due to injury, any hope of sustaining offense through the air evaporated.

Joe Douglas didn't address the wide receiver position adequately during the offseason. The feeling was that maybe after Rodgers selflessly reworked his contract to take a pay cut, the team would use that newfound cap room to acquire an elite pass catcher at the trade deadline.

Rodgers may not be throwing passes — during games, at least — at the moment, but that shouldn't stop the Jets from improving their pass offense for their current quarterback. After all, whoever the Jets acquire will eventually catch passes from Rodgers one day.  

With that in mind, here is a list of seven different wide receivers the Jets should try and trade for at the deadline.

1. The NY Jets could trade for Marquise Brown

Other than Garrett Wilson, the Jets lack deep threats in their receiving corps who can challenge defenses vertically. For better or worse, that's the best part of Marquise Brown's game.

The 26-year-old 4.27-timed speedster from Oklahoma can probably be had for the right price, especially considering the fact that he is in the final season of his rookie contract.

The rebuilding Cardinals are definitely potential sellers at the deadline. Therefore, Brown is a prime target for any contending team looking to round out their offense with an added speed element. 

Perhaps Marquise Brown can be what the Jets envisioned they were getting in Mecole Hardman this past offseason or the type of player the Jets wanted when they pursued Tyreek Hill. 

One foolproof way to open up the short and medium areas of the field is with someone of Brown's talents. It also helps keep defenses who are over-committed to stopping Breece Hall honest.

2. The NY Jets could trade for DeAndre Hopkins

Call it an offseason redo.

After flirting with Odell Beckham Jr., before he took the money and ran to Baltimore, the Jets were in a position to target another accomplished veteran pass catcher who became available on the open market in DeAndre Hopkins.

Surprisingly enough, when asked about the possibility of pursuing Hopkins this past summer, head coach Robert Saleh, rather than relaying the generic non-response most teams give when discussing a potential free-agent acquisition, openly shot down the idea of signing the former All-Pro. Saleh went out of his way to express his faith in the team's group of receivers.

So, perhaps the Jets are not enamored with Hopkins or the player they perceive him to have become later in his career. However, keep in mind that when Saleh was talking up his receiving room, Corey Davis was still a Jet, and Mecole Hardman was the team's shiny new toy. 

The Jets weren't the only receiver-needy team to bypass Hopkins on the free-agent market. Several teams looked the other way. 

The 31-year-old Hopkins eventually settled for the best deal he could find — a potential two-year incentive-laden deal with Tennessee, where he would get the chance to continue to be a team's top pass target. 

Things haven't exactly worked out that well for Hopkins with the Titans. After six games, he's battled injuries, has yet to score a touchdown, and has produced only one 100-yard receiving effort.

At 2-4, Tennessee may be sellers at the deadline. Ryan Tannehill's ankle injury will make it challenging for them to move on from him. Derrick Henry could potentially be on the block, and Hopkins, the veteran pass catcher who was supposed to help ease the poor trade of A.J. Brown a season ago, seems very expendable.

The Jets need to make the call to Tennessee. The asking price can't be that high at this stage. There's a potential out in Hopkins deal after one season, so any move for him is of the rental variety.

On a team like the Jets, Hopkins can gradually slide into a No. 2 role on the opposite side of Garrett Wilson. He wouldn't need to be the featured target and would no longer draw every opposing team's top-cover cornerback.

As evidenced by Hopkins' performance two weeks ago against Indianapolis, where the veteran nabbed eight catches for 140 yards, he can still play at a high level and is precisely the type of outside and red-zone threat the Jets need.

3/4. The NY Jets could trade for Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy

There's no doubt that any NFL teams looking for wide receiver help are knocking on the Denver Broncos' door asking about both Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. 

The 1-5 Denver Broncos are a prime trade partner because they are in reset mode with a desperate need for draft capital after trading away last year's first-round selection and 2024 second and third-round picks in the Sean Payton deal.

The Jets might not be able to compete or may not want to meet Denver's trade demands, but Joe Douglas would be doing his team a disservice if he didn't inquire about potentially adding Jeudy or Sutton.

24-year-old Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy has not lived up to his expectations in Denver. Injuries and immaturity have been his downfall thus far in the pros, but he is coming off a career year in 2022 and has an attractive contractual situation.

Jeudy has a manageable 12 million-dollar fifth-year option for 2024. A team can make the rest of 2023 and 2024 an audition period for him. Perhaps a change of scenery and reuniting with Nathaniel Hackett again will get Jeudy back to the promise he showed at the end of 2022.

Another receiver who has familiarity with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is Courtland Sutton. Acquiring the former SMU star might not require as hefty of a price as Jeudy in terms of draft capital.

With Sutton having a fully guaranteed $14 million in 2023, he could be had in a salary dump pick swap type deal. Depending on how much of Sutton's current deal Denver plans to assume, he still has two years left on his contract, but there is a potential out in 2024.

What Courtland Sutton brings to the table besides his knowledge of the Jets offensive system is a red zone presence. It's an area that the Jets have struggled with recently. At 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, Sutton has the size and physicality to be a factor in that area.

5/6. The NY Jets could trade for Davante Adams or Hunter Renfrow

The dilemma here for Joe Douglas is that the Raiders are in the same boat the Jets currently reside in. Las Vegas, at 3-3, is also in the mix to make the playoffs, but that shouldn't preclude the Jets from continuously making phone calls to obtain the services of pipedream Davante Adams.

As long as Aaron Rodgers is in the Jets building, Adams is always going to be a favored target for the organization. The likelihood of that happening during this season is extremely slim, but that doesn't mean that Joe Douglas shouldn't explore giving the Raiders an offer they can't refuse.

To make that type of deal happen now, it would likely take some high-end draft capital, perhaps in 2025, and a combination of capable starters like defensive end Carl Lawson and maybe even cornerback Bryce Hall, who has proven his worth as a starting-caliber player in recent weeks.

One can dream, right? The duo of Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams would be so lethal. It wouldn't matter who the quarterback is, but could you imagine those guys with Rodgers? I could.

Sidebar: The same shoot-your-shot mentality with Davante Adams could also be applied to Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans. Tampa Bay, like Las Vegas, is a contender for the postseason and has stressed that they have no interest in moving Evans despite failing to give him the contract extension he seeks. Even still, it won't hurt the Jets to check in on Evans' availability.

From fantasy land to reality, Hunter Renfrow enters the picture. Two seasons ago, Renfrow was a revelation for the Raiders. The Clemson underdog made the Pro Bowl with 103 receptions for over 1,000 yards and nine scores.

The Raiders rewarded him with a contract extension, but after an injury-plagued 2022 campaign, Renfrow has been phased out of Las Vegas' offense. 

Nothing about Renfrow or his game is particularly sexy. However, with all due respect to longtime veteran Randall Cobb, who is only a Jet because of his connection to Aaron Rodgers and, to a lesser extent, Nathaniel Hackett, the Jets have arguably the worst starting slot receiver in football. Renfrow would be a clear upgrade over Cobb.

Renfrow has two years remaining on his Raiders deal with no guarantees beyond this season. The Jets would only be on the hook for $3.6 million for the remainder of 2023 if they acquire him. He's also signed for the 2024 season, so acquiring him wouldn't be just a half-season rental. 

It's not the type of Super Bowl boost that obtaining Adams would provide, but the addition of Renfrow would help the Jets improve their passing game, especially in short areas and on third down.

7. The NY Jets could trade for Terrace Marshall

An under-the-radar acquisition that makes a lot more sense on paper once you dig deeper is former LSU standout Terrace Marshall.

Like potential Jets target Hunter Renfrow, Marshall has been phased out by new arrivals on his team. Unlike the other options listed in this article, Terrace Marshall is not a guaranteed instant starter, but his talent is hard to ignore.  

From a physical tools standpoint, there's a lot to like with Marshall. At 6-foot-2 with 4.40 speed, the former 2021 second-round pick has shown out when given an opportunity in limited duty. He can take the top off defenses and win downfield.

Last season, he received an 88.6 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus on targets 10-plus yards down the field. On those throws, he had 18 receptions, six of them contested catches, for 382 yards (21.2 yards per catch) and a 117.4 passer rating when targeted (20th among wide receivers).

Very quietly, Marshall also led the league in 2022 with a 19.2 yards per-catch average over the final 12 weeks of last season. He's the kind of player that the Miami Dolphins would've likely added to their speed factory if not for their latest acquisition of the enigmatic Chase Claypool.

Marshall won't command much on the trade market, and he is under the attractive component of being on a reasonable rookie deal that doesn't expire until after the 2024 season.

The drawback to acquiring Marshall in midstream of the season is finding an immediate role for him in a new system. He has experience playing in the slot but is better suited to be on the outside.

On top of that, he doesn't have special teams value. Terrace Marshall could be Denzel Mims revisited in terms of struggling to be activated if he doesn't have a starting role, but his upside and talent are undeniable.

With Randall Cobb's age, Allen Lazard's history with injuries, and the departure of Mecole Hardman, the Jets need to add another talent to their receiving corps.

They should be swinging for the fences, looking for someone who can be a legitimate top-two target in their passing attack, but if not, Marshall is the type of player the Jets should add if they deviate away from making a big splash.