The NY Jets have the ammo for a trade heading into the draft and Chris Johnson is a name that has come up, as the Titans are looking to deal him and on top of that, New York is looking at both DeSean Jackson and Jacoby Ford as potential free agent options, as the team has some major flexibility with 12 picks coming up in the NFL draft in May.
The Jets are usually not a team that hoards draft picks leading into the draft, but this year they have John Idzik calling the shots and he has done a good job at putting the team in position to make a move up or down depending on their draft plans. According to ESPN.com, the Jets have interest in Chris Johnson from the Titans and with so many picks in their stable, they could afford to give up some picks in a deal with Tennessee, as they are hoping to ditch Johnson and his $8 million salary. The Titans have been at odds with Johnson over his contract and he said that he would be willing to take a pay cut to get a deal done.
The Jets traded up years ago for Mark Sanchez and that did not end well, as he was considered to be a franchise quarterback and now he is with the Eagles, so if the Jets make a move up for someone like Sammy Watkins, they will have to make sure it's worth it. Teams with 12 draft picks have to be careful not to waste them and while they have some compensatory picks that can't be traded, it gives them flexibility to use their other picks. The team was reportedly interested in Jackson when he was with the Eagles in a trade and now that he is on the market the Jets could look to try and pair him with Eric Decker.
The team signed Decker to a five year deal this offseason and bringing in Jackson would open up the offense for Geno Smith and he also could tandem again with Michael Vick if he takes over the starting job. Jackson was released for a number of reasons, including missing meetings, his high salary and potential gang ties, but his skills are not in dispute. Jackson is one of the most explosive receivers in football and he is coming off of a brilliant season that saw him make over 80 catches for 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns, setting career highs. The Redskins and Raiders are in the mix and signing in Washington would keep him in the division.
Johnson has rushed for 1,000 yards in every one of his seasons in the league and that consistency could be great for the Jets. According to ESPN.com, the team is hosting Jacoby Ford and he could be a solid option as a punt return man and last season he had 13 catches for 99 yards and has three receiving touchdowns in his career. The Jets have some moves to make and with all their draft picks, including four in the sixth round, they have the chance to be active.