NY Jets: 4 trades the team could make this summer

The NY Jets went into the offseason eyeing change following an abysmal 2-14 finish a year ago. And now that the dust has settled, it's safe to say that change has been accomplished.

The overhaul started with the coaching staff as Adam Gase and his staff were jettisoned and replaced by Robert Saleh and a new group of coaches.

It continued with an eventful free agency period that saw the team land the likes of Carl Lawson, Corey Davis, and others. And, of course, the inevitable finally occurred when the Jets shipped Sam Darnold to Carolina and started over at the quarterback position.

The 2021 NFL Draft saw the Jets add players like Zach Wilson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Elijah Moore — all of whom should play key roles both this season and in the future.

Yes, the Jets accomplished the change they were targeting. But even as we approach mid-June, they could still make another move or two to fully usher in a new era.

Many have their eyes on the free-agent market whether it's a veteran cornerback such as Richard Sherman or Steven Nelson or a backup QB like Nick Mullens. But that's not the only way the Jets could make changes to their roster.

The Jets could also explore the trade market — either to trade away one of their own players or to acquire someone from another team.

But what are some realistic trades that could happen over the coming weeks and months? We take a look at four trades the Jets could explore this summer.

4. The NY Jets could trade for Gardner Minshew

The Jets are still in search of a true backup quarterback and it's very likely that they do add another player to their QB room before the end of the offseason.

Simply put, Mike White and James Morgan aren't going to cut it.

A couple of players the Jets have been connected to are the aforementioned Mullens and Nick Foles — more on him later. But what if they went in a completely different direction and called the Jacksonville Jaguars about Gardner Minshew?

The former sixth-round pick's days in Jacksonville appear to be numbered with Trevor Lawrence now in town. The Jaguars also signed veteran C.J. Beathard in the offseason to a deal that would certainly be a lot of money for a third-string quarterback.

Minshew wants out, and ideally, he wants a chance to start. But his market has been rather dry and there's a good chance he doesn't receive that opportunity at this stage.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently reported that the Jaguars would likely take a fifth or sixth-rounder in return for the man who has been their starting QB for the better part of the last two years.

And that might be a worthy investment for the Jets.

Minshew has impressed in a poor situation since coming into the NFL with 37 career touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. At worst, he'd be one of the better backups in the league and would come at a cheap, team-friendly price.

At best, the Jets could look to flip him some time in the future and turn this transaction into a profit.

Minshew is an intriguing investment that the Jets should explore.

3. The NY Jets could trade for Zach Ertz

It seems all but guaranteed that Zach Ertz won't be playing for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. Dallas Goedert is the future, and Ertz is widely expected to get dealt sometime this summer.

And while the Jets aren't an obvious trade partner, they could be a team that explores his market.

The tight end position is a bit of a mystery at the moment. Chris Herndon has gotten off to a slow start in OTAs and is coming off a disastrous 2020 season.

Ertz might not be a long-term solution, but if Herndon continues to struggle, the Jets might be forced to pull the trigger and consider the three-time Pro Bowler.

The tight end position is very important in Mike LaFleur's offense (at least basing it off the Kyle Shanahan system). If the Jets don't have a competent player at the position, it could limit what they do offensively this season.

And, in turn, limit what rookie quarterback Zach Wilson is able to do.

Ertz is a shell of his former self, but even he would likely be an upgrade over Herndon and company at this point.

The Jets aren't necessarily in win-now mode, but they are in "help-your-rookie-quarterback-out-in-any-way-you-can" mode.

For a Day 3 pick, Ertz might be worth considering.

2. The NY Jets could trade Jamison Crowder

A little change of pace here as we switch to a player currently on the roster who the Jets could look to trade.

Now, it should be noted that much of this notion depends on the outcome of Jamison Crowder's current contract discussions with the front office.

The Jets are asking Crowder to take a pay cut with the leverage that, if they cut him with little dead cap, he would make significantly less on the open market. It's a strategy that will likely work in their favor.

But what if Crowder refuses the pay cut? The Jets could simply release him, or they could look to find a trade partner.

Crowder is still a good player and the Jets might be able to fetch a Day 3 pick under the right circumstances. It helps that the team already has an abundance of slot depth on the roster.

Elijah Moore has been the star of OTAs. Braxton Berrios has proven why he shouldn't be overlooked. And Keelan Cole, another standout from OTAs, has ample experience playing in the slot.

Crowder is a luxury. Certainly a luxury worth keeping around, but if the price is right, perhaps the Jets bite the bullet and send him to another team.

It's more likely that Crowder takes the pay cut and plays out his contract with the Jets in 2021. But don't rule out a trade just yet.

1. The NY Jets could trade for Nick Foles

This one feels like the most likely trade to actually happen.

As previously discussed, the Jets are still searching for a veteran backup to assist Zach Wilson in the quarterback room. And Nick Foles just makes too much sense.

Foles has history with general manager Joe Douglas as the two spent time together in Philadelphia and the Jets are one of the few teams that could theoretically afford to take on his contract at this stage.

The 32-year-old is set to have a cap hit of $6.66 million in 2021 and his guarantees make it illogical to just outright cut him. The Chicago Bears are desperate to get his salary off the books and would be willing to give him up for virtually nothing.

The Jets could likely land Foles for a swap of late-round picks, the only hold-up would be how much of his salary they'd pay.

Foles is under contract through the 2022 season and while he could be cut after this season, the result would be over $7 million in dead cap. Whatever team has Foles on their roster will likely be stuck with him through next season.

If the Jets are fine with this and if they could even have the Bears retain some of his future salary, then this is a trade that benefits both sides.

There's a lot of smoke around Nick Foles to the Jets right now. And oftentimes where there's smoke, there's fire.