Could New York Jets Trade For Veteran Wide Receiver?

An NFL analyst has suggested the New York Jets make a move to acquire this veteran wide receiver in a trade.

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (2) warms before a 2024 AFC divisional round game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

A lot went wrong during the 2023 campaign for the New York Jets. Their biggest letdown was quarterback Aaron Rodgers injuring his Achilles on the team’s fourth offensive snap of the season.

Without Rodgers in the lineup, it was easy to see where else the team needed to improve. The quarterback performance was lacking, but it would have been hard for even the best players to perform behind the team’s offensive line.

General manager Joe Douglas got to work in the trenches in the offseason, bringing in several veterans to improve performance. Another area of weakness that needed addressing was wide receiver.

The Jets have a star in the making in Garrett Wilson. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Wilson has surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau in both seasons despite catching most of his passes from Zach Wilson.

He is going to love having Rodgers under center, but help was needed beyond him. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, who were signed in part to appease Rodgers, their former teammate with the Green Bay Packers, were both busts.

Lazard and Cobb were two of the least efficient wide receivers in the NFL in 2023. Douglas found some alternative options, signing veteran Mike Williams in free agency and selecting Malachi Corley in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Eventually, those two should help the New York offense. But, concerns remain. Williams is a major injury risk, as he is recovering still from last season’s knee injury, and Corley has a lot to learn as a rookie.

As a result, NFL writer Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report has suggested the Jets make a move to acquire another pass catcher. In a piece highlighting one trade each team should make before the season, he suggested New York acquire veteran Robert Woods from the Houston Texans.

Ballentine’s proposed trade is the Texans sending Woods and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Jets in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick. A late Day 3 swap to land a steady veteran would be a great move for New York.

Consistency was lacking for this pass-catching group in 2023 and that is something Woods can provide them. A versatile player, he can fill in wherever needed, whether it be on the boundary or in the slot.

At that price, the Jets should jump at this deal. Houston has a lot of depth at wide receiver after acquiring Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in a trade. Getting off of Woods’ money would be their main concern here, which is why the draft compensation price is only a late swap.

Even at 32 years old, Woods is probably an upgrade over Lazard. Having him as insurance would put a lot of people in New York at ease. He can be a starter if Williams or Corley aren’t ready for Week 1 while being a great depth piece once they are ready for larger roles.