Calvin Ridley and 3 other wide receivers the NY Jets could trade for

The NY Jets are heading for what many might consider to be a make-or-break offseason. In his third full offseason with the organization, general manager Joe Douglas is going to have to make the additions necessary for the team to legitimately compete for a playoff spot in 2022.

While the foundation has been laid, the results will need to improve if Douglas is going to stay off the hot seat. That could push him to be a bit more aggressive than in the past.

Douglas has enforced a strict philosophy of building through the draft and with young players in free agency. That philosophy is wise for a rebuilding roster looking to lay the groundwork, but to take that next step, teams oftentimes need to do a little more.

Take a team like the Buffalo Bills for example. Apart from using the draft to build around Josh Allen, they explored other avenues and allowed him to reach his true potential. No move proved to be more impactful than the trade for Stefon Diggs.

The Jets could look to use the Bills as a model for how they should approach their rebuilding process. And what if they decided to pull off a Diggs-like trade in an attempt to continue building around Zach Wilson?

Who might they target? Well, one name became pretty apparent when it was reported on Wednesday that Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley could be looking for a "fresh start."

Let's take a closer look at Ridley and three other wide receivers that make sense as realistic trade targets for the Jets this offseason.

4. NY Jets trade target: Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Let's take about the Calvin Ridley situation for a moment. The star Falcons wideout has developed nicely in Atlanta with his breakout season coming in 2020 when he finished with a team-leading 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns.

With Julio Jones injured for half the year, Ridley stepped up and became Matt Ryan's top target establishing that he could be a true WR1 in the NFL. That was the role the Falcons expected him to fill again in 2021.

However, after just five games, Ridley decided to step away from football citing mental health reasons. Now, reports have emerged that Ridley might just want to leave Atlanta altogether.

If the Falcons are willing to listen to offers, the Jets, and every team for that matter, should be interested. Ridley just turned 27 last month and is still playing out his rookie contract.

He's a superstar wide receiver in every sense of the term and could provide the Jets with the true No. 1 wideout that they've been searching for. Pairing Ridley with Elijah Moore and Corey Davis would give the Jets one of the best wide receiver corps in the NFL.

The price tag might be a bit steep, but it's not as if the Jets don't have the draft capital to make it work. And what good is draft capital if you aren't going to use it to acquire star players?

If Calvin Ridley becomes available, the Jets absolutely have to seriously explore his market.

3. NY Jets trade target: Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans

Brandin Cooks has to be one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in the entire NFL. The 28-year-old has played for four different teams in his NFL career and totaled over 1,000 receiving yards in a season with each one of them.

He's oftentimes flown under the radar as a result of being overshadowed by flashier teammates in New Orleans or with the Los Angeles Rams or as a result of playing on a very bad team in Houston.

But make no mistake about it, Cooks is a very good wide receiver. And he could provide the Jets with the downfield presence their offense has been missing.

The Jets' offense, for all of their improvements in 2021, still lacks the explosive, big-play element that the best offenses in the league possess. Elijah Moore and Corey Davis each have their moments, but neither is a true consistent vertical threat,

That's where Cooks comes into play.

Few wide receivers in the NFL have the speed and tracking ability that Cooks possesses. It's why he's been able to reach 1,000 yards in six of his eight years in the NFL all while averaging nearly 14.0 yards per reception.

The Texans aren't looking to compete anytime soon making Cooks somewhat expendable, especially as he enters the final year of his deal. The Jets would be wise to explore Brandin Cooks' market this offseason.

2. NY Jets trade target: Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

One under-the-radar name that could become available this offseason is Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry. Landry will be entering the final year of his contract in 2022 and is coming off the least productive season of his NFL career.

The former Miami Dolphin has battled injuries (and poor quarterback play) and has just 46 catches for495 yards and a touchdown this season. With a $16 million cap hit, the Browns might look to move on and clear cap space.

Now, it should be noted that, unlike some of the other entries on this list, the Jets shouldn't have to give up significant draft capital to get a deal done. In fact, it's very possible a Day 3 pick is enough to move Landry.

The Browns could even consider cutting Landry for a minimal dead cap hit of $1.5 million, but if the Jets come calling with a Day 3 pick, perhaps they could convince Cleveland to trade him instead.

The Jets could explore a Jamison Crowder-like situation and ask Landry to take a pay cut if necessary. Even at 29-years-old, Landry can be a dynamic weapon in the Jets' offense.

With Jamison Crowder likely departing in the offseason, the Jets need to search for his replacement in the slot. The shifty Landry could be an ideal high-volume, after-the-catch threat in Mike LaFleur's offense.

If the Jets don't want to part ways with significant draft capital, Landry makes plenty of sense.

1. NY Jets trade target: Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

Calvin Ridley isn't the only NFC South wide receiver that could be on the move this offseason. There's been some smoke in the past surrounding Michael Thomas trade rumors and they could arise again in the coming months.

Thomas has battled injury issues over the last two years and has been sidelined all of this year with an ankle injury. He was expected to return, but a setback in November prematurely ended a season that never even started.

Injury issues aside, it wasn't long ago that Thomas was breaking records and nearly unanimously seen as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. And at just 28-years-old, he still has plenty of football left in him.

The reasons the Saints would consider trading him are twofold. For starters, the two sides aren't exactly on the best of terms. The Saints were frustrated with Thomas' decision to wait until June to have surgery and it seems as though both parties might want to move on at this point.

On top of that, the Saints desperately need to create cap space, to the surprise of no one. They're projected to be a league-worst $61 million over the salary cap at the start of the offseason and Thomas' contract is taking up a sizable chunk of that.

The Jets have the cap space to eat his contract and even have an out after the 2022 season if things go south in a hurry.

This move likely presents the most risk, but it also has the most upside. If the Jets want to swing for the fences, they could take a chance on Michael Thomas.