The New York Jets were apparently approaching the finish line to acquire Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs before the Miami Dolphins swooped in and poached the speedy wide receiver. After missing out on Hill, who signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the Dolphins, the Jets still have a ton of cap space to work with this offseason, as well as their two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
There are plenty of areas the Jets could stand to improve, and they're anticipated to remain active throughout free agency, and of course, in the draft. Having two top 10 picks will be critical for the Jets' rebuild, and they'll be hoping to get some talented players at positions of need.
With all that in mind, here are two moves the Jets must make in order to complete their roster for the 2022 season.
2 moves Jets must make to complete roster in 2022
2. Sign a starting EDGE rusher
The Jets signed Jacob Martin to a three-year, $13.5 million deal, but the expectation is that he'll be more of a backup or rotational piece on the defense. That leaves a vacancy ahead of him on the depth chart, as the Jets need a high-caliber player to play opposite EDGE rusher Carl Lawson. While John Franklin-Myers had a solid season on the outside last year, he's a more natural fit on the interior of the defensive line.
There are a handful of suitable EDGE rushers on the market, including the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Anthony Barr, or Jason Pierre-Paul. Clowney could be a solid fit for the Jets, and he's coming off of one of his most productive seasons to date. In 2021, Clowney recorded 37 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 19 QB hits, and 2 forced fumbles across 14 games for the Browns. At 29 years old, Clowney could be a great pickup for the Jets, who already have suitable backups in the form of Martin and Franklin-Myers
1. Acquire a top wide receiver
After missing out on Hill, the Jets should remain hungry to add another talented wide receiver to the mix. Finding weapons for Zach Wilson will be crucial for the Jets this offseason, and after picking up C.J. Uzomah, the Jets should look to buff the wide receiver position. While the top players at the position have already been taken off the board in free agency, the Jets could still try to make things work with a deal for Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., or Jarvis Landry. Alternatively, they could try to seek out a trade for a proven wide receiver, should a team make one available.
The draft could end up being the best route for the Jets to find the wide receiver they're after. With picks No. 4 and No. 10 in the first round, the Jets could end up with one of the most talented offensive players in the class, while also managing to add a top-tier defender too. Chris Olave comes to mind as a possible fit at the front-end of the first round, and he could be a game-changing addition for the Jets, while fitting in perfectly with their rebuild timeline. The Ohio State product figures to be among the first names off the board on Draft Day, and he could very well end up heading to the Jets.
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