With the initial wave of free agency mostly come and gone, it’s officially draft month as we enter April.
While the Jets did an admirable job addressing certain needs over the past month, one major need is still very much staring you in the face when looking at this roster: Wide Receiver.
Looking at the current group, I think you can make a very real argument that it’s the weakest positional unit in the NFL. Garrett Wilson, whether you think he’s a true WR1 or not, is a great player. But beyond him,
it’s almost entirely question marks.
Adonai Mitchell is the definition of a wild card. We’ve talked at length about the upside. He’s promising and has the traits you look for, but it’s just as likely that he never develops into a reliable starting outside receiver. That range of outcomes is far and wide.
After that, it gets thin in a hurry.
Isaiah Williams showed the bare minimum, but no team is going into a season feeling comfortable with him as a top four option. The rest of the room has shown virtually nothing at the NFL level outside of some special teams contributions. That’s just not good enough.
Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey can say what they want publicly. Mougey recently said he feels “good” about the room. That’s fine, but let’s be honest. They know this is a need.
And the reporting reflects that.
As ESPN’s Rich Cimini noted:
“The Jets likely will use at least one of their four draft picks in the top 44 on a receiver, but don’t be surprised if they add another veteran to the mix at some point. There have been rumblings about a potential trade, with Dontayvion Wicks and Brian Thomas Jr. among the names bandied about.”
To me, that makes a lot of sense depending on the price.
Brian Thomas Jr. is a name we can get into more at another time, but the appeal is obvious. Players who are 23, have his size, first round pedigree, and a career 1.97 yards per route run don’t just become available. That should interest the Jets, but it should also raise some questions about why he might be available.
Dontayvion Wicks is a personal favorite of mine and in a lot of ways would be a very similar bet to Adonai Mitchell.
The production is modest: 112 catches and around 1400 yards over his first three seasons. But there are enough indicators to think there’s more there. He’s consistently graded well in separation, he’s only 24, and he’s spent his career in crowded receiver rooms. His 1.60 yards per route run is solid and absolutely worthy of a top four role.
The biggest factor here is cost.
He’s on a cheap one year deal and set to hit free agency after the season. That likely puts him in the range of a Day 3 pick, which for a team in the Jets’ position should be a no brainer.
Veteran additions aside, the draft is going to be the main focus.
Right now there are six wide receivers in the top 32 on consensus boards: Carnell Tate at 8, Makai Lemon at 13, Jordyn Tyson at 14, Omar Cooper Jr. at 24, Denzel Boston at 29, and Kevin Concepcion at 32. That makes it likely the Jets would need to target one at pick 16 or 33 if they want a premium option.
Even if they do that, relying on a rookie to stabilize this room feels risky.
A group of Garrett Wilson, a rookie, and Adonai Mitchell with very little behind them could easily lead to growing pains. If the Jets are serious about setting up their future quarterback, whether that player arrives this year or more likely in 2027, this is not the kind of room you want to rely on.
That’s why adding multiple receivers feels like the most realistic path.
If the Jets can go into the season with Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Dontayvion Wicks, and an early round rookie, there’s at least a foundation there. It’s still young and unproven, but there’s upside and something to build on.
That’s a much better spot than where they are right now.
No matter what’s said publicly, this front office knows this is a position they need to address.
Now we’ll see if they actually do it.
