Zach Wilson and 5 players the NY Jets could trade this offseason

The NY Jets are going to make some franchise-altering decisions this offseason. From what they ultimately decide to do at the quarterback position to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, the Jets have no shortage of important decisions to make in the coming months.

That could pertain to some players on the roster as well. The Jets could field trade offers on a variety of players for different reasons.

Some of those trade offers could be for young players who might have larger roles elsewhere. Some of them might be salary-related. Others might just be players who need a change of scenery.

Which players on the Jets roster are most likely to be traded? We take a look at five Jets players the team could ultimately trade this offseason.

5. Mekhi Becton, OT, NY Jets

I don't think the Jets trade Mekhi Becton. The former first-round pick's value is at an all-time low following consecutive season-ending injuries. He's played just one game since his rookie season.

The Jets likely aren't going to bank on a healthy Becton starting 17 games in 2023, but as of right now, he's expected to figure into their plans. Becton has reportedly slimmed down a lot and appears motivated to return to the field next season.

However, if the Jets draft an offensive tackle early and perhaps even add someone in free agency, teams might be calling to check in on Becton's availability. There's a non-zero chance that he's moved if the right package comes along.

It's more likely that Becton is on the Week 1 roster and perhaps even starting at one of the tackle spots, but don't be surprised if you hear his name mentioned in trade rumors this offseason.

4. Bryce Hall, CB, NY Jets

The Jets significantly bolstered their roster last offseason, bringing in a ton of new talent to replace some of the team's starters from the previous season. The results were very evident with the team's defense.

Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, both offseason additions, formed likely the NFL's best cornerback duo. While this was great news for the Jets, it wasn't such a positive development for the holdovers on the roster.

No player suffered from this development more than Bryce Hall. Hall was the only player on the Jets' roster to start all 17 games for the team in 2021, and while he may not have been cut out for the CB1 role he was tasked with filling, Hall proved that he was an NFL-caliber player.

The former fifth-round pick finished sixth in the NFL in passes defended while his 64.5 Pro Football Focus coverage grade ranked 36th among cornerbacks to play at least 50 percent of their team's defensive snaps.

Despite his success in 2021, the additions of Gardner and Reed pushed him to the sideline. Hall appeared in just five games this past season and played a grand total of 15 defensive snaps. That's a far cry from the 1,169 snaps he played the year prior.

There were rumors that the Jets could look to trade Hall dating back to the summer, and those rumors resurfaced ahead of the trade deadline. Ultimately, Hall remained with the team throughout the season, but that doesn't mean he'll be on the roster in 2023.

The Jets love Hall as excellent depth at an important position, but it's hard to deny that he wouldn't be playing a much larger role on most NFL rosters. It might be worth it to see what the team could get in trade talks, especially given that Hall is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

3. Elijah Moore, WR, NY Jets

This is another one that I doubt happens, but given everything that's happened with Elijah Moore over the last six months, it's absolutely a scenario worth discussing.

Moore entered the 2022 season looking to pick up where he left off the previous year. The former Ole Miss standout put together an impressive six-game stretch as a rookie that had many excited about his future with the team.

With Moore and Garrett Wilson, the Jets hoped to have one of the best young wide receiver duos in the NFL, but while Wilson soared to a Rookie of the Year campaign, Moore was one of the season's biggest disappointments.

The 22-year-old wideout was a relative non-factor in the Jets' offense early in the season, and his numbers were plagued by inconsistent quarterback play — so much so that he shockingly demanded a trade in October.

The Jets never followed through on that trade request, and following a brief benching, Moore found some more success with Mike White under center. It seems as though the two sides have mended their relationship, but his future remains uncertain.

Thomas Christopher of Jets X Factor recently explored the possibility of a Moore trade this offseason, insisting that it was more likely he was traded them kept long-term.

I still think it's more likely the Jets keep Moore, especially with Corey Davis and Braxton Berrios possibly on the move this offseason, but a trade isn't out of the conversation.

2. Carl Lawson, DE, NY Jets

The Jets have a very interesting decision to make with Carl Lawson this offseason. Lawson is set to carry a $15.7 million cap hit in 2023, but the Jets have the flexibility to cut ties with just $333,333 in dead cap.

SNY's Connor Hughes reported earlier in the week that Lawson is not expected to be back in 2023 on his current contract. That means the Jets will do something with him this offseason.

They could opt to release him and save the cap space, but that likely isn't their preference. Extending Lawson is another option, but that comes with the risk of tying future money into a player who has an extensive injury history.

The third option could be to explore a trade. Trading Lawson on his current contract would save the same amount of money as releasing him would. Perhaps some team would be willing to take a chance on the former top free-agent signing returning to full health in 2023.

Lawson returned in 2022 after missing his first year with the Jets due to a torn Achilles, and while he did manage to appear in all 17 games, he clearly wasn't the same player he was before his injury.

That's mostly because Lawson didn't even start running until a few weeks before the start of training camp. Lawson actually suffered a setback in his recovery that certainly didn't help his effectiveness in 2022.

If the Jets do plan to release Lawson, it would make sense to see what they could get for him in a trade first. This is probably an unlikely scenario, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

1. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

The Jets continue to publicly insist that they have no plans to trade Zach Wilson. If you believe what Joe Douglas, Robert Saleh, and every representative from the Jets organization have said over the last few months, the team is committed to developing Wilson.

That's what they say, but that doesn't mean that's reality.

We've seen countless examples of NFL teams proclaiming their commitment to a player, only to move on weeks, sometimes days, later. From Josh Rosen to Russell Wilson, it's been proven time and time again that what NFL teams say publicly doesn't always represent the internal thoughts of the organization.

The Jets probably aren't looking to trade Wilson, but if some team comes calling with an intriguing offer, they might consider it. The issue with trading Wilson is timing.

The Jets can't really trade Wilson until after June 1st for salary cap reasons. Trading him prior to the June 1st deadline would mean the Jets take on more dead cap than they save. However, trading him post-June 1st saves the team over $5 million.

That restriction could limit their chances of trading him as teams would likely have their quarterback picture settled before then. Still, if some team is willing to take a chance on the former second-overall pick, and offers an attractive enough package, the Jets might be willing to consider it.

After all, keeping Wilson on the roster as QB3 in 2023 with a near-$10 million cap hit isn't ideal. Moving Wilson makes sense if the price is right.