PALM BEACH, Fla. — Joe Douglas is still ready to pounce if the opportunity to add another receiver for Zach Wilson presents itself.
The Jets GM attempted to pry All-Pro Tyreek Hill from Kansas City, coming inches short of securing the deal to bolster the weaponry around Wilson.
Their divisional rivals in Miami snatched Hill away. That isn’t going to stop Douglas from trying.
“We have the opportunity to keep adding to it,” Douglas said at the NFL owners’ meetings on Tuesday morning. “If the opportunity is right, the price is right, we’re going to strike,”
Hill isn’t the only proven receiver the Jets were interested in.
The Jets expressed interest in the Falcons’ Calvin Ridley, but Ridley was suspended for an entire year because he was caught gambling. They discussed former Cowboy Amari Cooper and viewed him as a good player. But Cooper was eventually traded to the Browns. They would have pursued the Chargers’ Mike Williams, but the Chargers franchised tagged Williams then signed him to an extension.
Overall, it’s obvious Jets understand the value in adding weapons around Wilson to supercharge his development in his second season.
“Those premium positions, you hit the nail on the head, it’s those playmakers, too, so you see how that market is going now,” Douglas said. “Even with some guys on the horizon that could affect the market, too. That’s definitely a position that’s a premium position for us and where we are with a young quarterback.”
Even though the Jets missed out on the available wide receivers on the market, they did add two capable tight ends in Tyler Conklin, an ex-Viking, and C.J. Uzomah, a former Bengal. They combined last season for 110 catches, 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns. Uzomah and Conklin can be viable pass catching weapons for Wilson.
They’re comfortable with who’s in the current wide receiver room.
The organization still believes Elijah Moore has No. 1 receiver potential after finishing with 538 yards receiving and six total touchdowns in 11 games. Corey Davis is more than capable of being a good No. 2, with a few weeks of No. 1 production.
“I feel good about the receivers we have. Having Elijah (Moore), who was really starting to come on before his injury,” Douglas said. “Corey Davis was on pace for 1,000 yards before his injury, bringing Braxton (Berrios) back and everyone’s excited to bring Braxton back, so we feel good about this receiving corps we have.”
But the Jets can’t stop there. One injury to the group and the unit could look similar to the receiving corps that the Jets trotted out in Week 18 against the Bills, when Keelan Cole, Tarik Black and Jeff Smith received the bulk of the snaps.
The Jets are reportedly keeping their eyes on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf, who’s in the last year of his deal. And after trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos, Metcalf could be pried with a good offer.
Douglas wouldn’t entertain the rumors about the possibility of available receivers. But if the rumors become factual the Jets will be ready.
“You hear about names, you hear about rumors. Until those opportunities become a little bit more concrete, that’s what they are, just rumors. Look, again, we weren’t expecting the opportunity to pop up that happened last week, but when it came available, OK, we were ready,” Douglas said. “Again, in this situation, that may be another player, another position. I feel like our pro staff, our personnel staff, they do a great job of keeping everybody prepared, personnel and coaches, to get the evaluations in and so when those opportunities happen, we can jump right in and be aggressive.”
If the Jets can’t snatch a potential veteran option off the table, the draft has plenty of wideouts. With the No. 10 overall pick, Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks or USC’s Drake London could be options.
Gang Green could wait till the second round where options like North Dakota State’s Christian Watson may be available, or Georgia’s George Picken.
Or the Jets could take a risky big swing at Alabama’s Jameson Williams at No. 10. Williams who would have been the consensus No. 1 receiver in this draft class if he didn’t tear his ACL in the national championship game.
Overall, with the trend of the offseason, it’s obvious the Jets will add another weapon or two for Wilson as he goes into year two.
