The New York Jets signed free agent quarterback Justin Fields to be the team's new franchise signal caller, but they haven't done very much to boost the supporting cast around him.
Luckily for New York, the NFL Draft is coming up and it could add some serious talent to the offense through the draft.
Christopher Hennessy of ClutchPoints recently predicted the Jets would trade up from pick No. 42 to pick No. 31 in order to select Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons after Simmons falls well beyond his pre-draft projection.
"As the first round goes on, there are not many offensive tackles taken. Will Campbell goes first after the Browns trade up, Armand Membou goes to the Bears at ten, and Kelvin Banks Jr follows him at 11 to San Francisco," Hennessy wrote. "As Ohio State’s Josh Simmons keeps dropping, the Jets make their move. Mougey trades the 42nd pick and a 2026 second-rounder to jump up to 31 and take Simmons.
"The trade is with the Kansas City Chiefs, who take running back Omarion Hampton with the 42nd pick. A second-rounder is a high price to pay but the Jets need another tackle. Simmons has a first-round grade from Pro Football Focus and had the best pass-block win rate of any draft-eligible tackle last year. Moving up 12 spots to grab him is risky, but getting the right tackle for the future is important."
If the Jets don't select an offensive lineman with their No. 7 overall pick, this is a real possibility. New York needs to boost the offensive line in front of Fields or else the team will be in the same boat that the Chicago Bears were in with Fields.
Simmons has top of the first-round potential, so it may be worth it to trade a slew of picks to move back into the first-round to select him. Mock draft trades are very hard to predict, but in this scenario, it could make some sense.
