As always, various rumors were floating around during the NFL Scouting Combine last week.
One bit of gossip that was heard around league circles is that the Jets are possibly interested in trading up with No.1 with the Titans to select Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
During his availability last week, Jets general manager Darren Mougey did nothing to dispel any of those rumors.
“We’re going to be open to potentially moving up for a player or moving back,” Mougey said.
However, it’s hard to imagine the Jets would move all the way to No. 1 to select Ward. That could always change depending on what happens during free agency, which begins on March 12.
Ward, 22, is by far the best quarterback in this year’s draft. He did not throw during last week’s combine but will during Miami’s Pro Day on March 24. During his only season with the Hurricanes, Ward finished fourth in the Heisman Voting after passing for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
What stands out about Ward is his arm talent. He can make every throw at the NFL level. Ward also has a coolness and poise about him, which is rare for a quarterback his age.
If the Jets consider moving up to No. 1, it would cost them a lot. Just two years ago, the Panthers traded their 2023 No. 9 pick, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 first-round selection, a 2025 second-round pick, and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bears to select Bryce Young.
Unless they decide to throw in an established player, the Jets would need to give up even more to obtain the top pick. Gang Green may have to give up three first-round picks and additional compensation to get Ward. The more likely scenario is the Jets drafting a quarterback on either Day 2 or 3 to pair with Tyrod Taylor and another veteran quarterback.
The 2025 NFL Draft is one of the weaker quarterback classes in recent memory. But after talking with sources, a few quarterbacks turned heads during the combine.
Gang Green has been linked to Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, and he was one of the players in Indianapolis who helped himself the most. Dart had an incredible throwing drill session after displaying his accuracy on short and deep passes. Dart also had a great Senior Bowl in January, which could help him enter the top 15 territory.
If the Jets explore moving back in the first round, Dart would make a lot of sense. Other quarterbacks that stood out during the combine include Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard.
Doesn’t appear extensions are coming for Gardner and Wilson…yet
The 2022 draft class is now eligible for contract extensions. The Jets have two stars: cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who the organization will be wise to keep in the long term.
But it could be some time before the Jets are ready to do so. Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn have several decisions to make in an expected busy offseason.
“I’m just excited those guys are on the roster,” Mougey said about Gardner and Wilson. “Two young good players, talented players, excited they’re part of the roster. The to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players.”
Gardner and Wilson certainly deserve contract extensions. During his first three seasons in the league, Gardner is already one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He has already been named a two-time All-Pro, a two-time Pro Bowler and was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022.
Wilson doesn’t have Gardner’s accolades but was named the league’s 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year. During his first three seasons, Wilson has caught 279 passes for 3,249 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Gang Green has the fifth-year option protection on both Gardner and Wilson, which they will likely exercise by the May deadline. However, they would be wise to lock up Gardner and Wilson sooner rather than later.
The NFL’s salary cap continues to rise and this year, it ballooned to $279.2 million per team. If the Jets can pay both Gardner and Wilson, by the time the two players start receiving their pay increases, the salary cap will rise so much that it would help the team in the future.
The longer the Jets wait to pay their top players, the worse off it could potentially be. A prime example is the Bengals, after they waited to pay wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, along with pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Cincinnati must now find a way to keep all three players happy. Higgins is set to become a free agent, and Chase and Hendrickson are in the final year of their contracts. I think the Jets will eventually keep Gardner and Wilson long-term, but they should learn from the Bengals’ current situation.
Jets interested in re-signing Sherwood
The Jets will face a lot of competition to re-sign linebacker Jamien Sherwood, but the team is interested in bringing the 2024 leading tackler back long-term.
Sherwood will be a free agent on March 12, and the Falcons, Panthers, and Seahawks are also teams that could be interested, according to sources. New England has also discussed Sherwood joining the Patriots, according to sources.
With former Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich now having the same role with the Falcons, it would make sense that the team would be interested in Sherwood. In 17 games, Sherwood finished with 158 tackles and two sacks in his first full season as a starter, after C.J. Mosley (toe, neck) was out most of last season.
