The New York Jets learned a great deal from their disastrous 2023 season. After acquiring four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers last offseason, the Jets did very little in the way of adding meaningful and impactful talent around him. After going 7-10 in 2022, they felt that they were a great quarterback away from taking the next step to contention.
Rodgers’ season-ending injury proved that they were wrong. While they still finished 7-10, the flaws in the roster, especially on offense, became all-too apparent. The offensive line needed to be reinforced and new wide receivers had to be acquired. These were two of general manager Joe Douglas’ biggest goals of the offseason, and (at least on paper) he succeeded in accomplishing them.
The New York Jets Built Around Aaron Rodgers in 2024
Rodgers’ injury in Week One proved that the Jets did a terrible job of building an offensive line that could protect their 40 year-old quarterback. To remedy their poor o-line play, Douglas went out and signed eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith. He also used New York’s first round pick on Olu Fashanu, one of the most highly regarded offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Prior to last season, the Jets went out and signed two of Rodgers’ former Packers wide receivers: Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. The pair combined to be incredibly disappointing, catching 28 passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns.
Lazard is back for 2024 as he signed a four-year $44 million contract last offseason, and cutting him would cost more than keeping him. Cobb, though, is a free agent and has not been re-signed. To improve their wide receiver room, the Jets signed former Las Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams, who is coming off of a torn ACL.
Williams, though, has had two 1,000+ yard seasons in his career and could very well end up being a huge boost to the offense.
One NFL analyst believes, though, that a different former Packers wide receiver could be the final piece the Jets’ offense needs. The only problem is that he currently plays for one of their division rivals.
NFL Analyst Suggests the New York Jets Could Trade for Buffalo Bills Wide Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling
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In a recent article posted on Bleacher Report in which he suggests trades that would reunite former quarterback-wide receiver combos, NFL analyst Kristopher Knox suggests that the Jets may be able to swing a deal for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who could find himself short of playing time in a crowded Buffalo Bills wide receiver room:
“The Bills brought back Khalil Shakir, signed Curtis Samuel and used a second-round pick on Keon Coleman. If Buffalo gets to the end of training camp and it doesn’t look like Valdes-Scantling is poised to earn a prominent role, it could still save $1.1 million in cap space by trading him.
“Buffalo would save nothing by releasing the 29-year-old outright. With just $7.6 million in available cap space, it might be willing to deal with a division rival.
“Valdes-Scantling spent four seasons with Rodgers in Green Bay and could be a capable ancillary target for the Jets. His presence on the rival Bills makes this hypothetical trade a long shot, but it’s still more realistic than New York landing Adams.”
Valdes-Scantling and Rodgers were teammates on the Packers from 2018-2021. MVS spent the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, and (of course) has won the Super Bowl in each of those seasons.
MVS would present a vertical threat to opposing offenses that could open up windows for Williams and Garrett Wilson in the passing game. However, the likelihood that the Bills would make any kind of trade that would improve their division rival’s odds of winning is not great.
