USAT: Jets Wire audio clip

USAT: Jets Wire

Mar 22, 2022

Joe Douglas might be a hypnotist. - The Jets general manager somehow got more for QB Sam Darnold and S Jamal Adams the last two offseasons than teams have received for better players this offseason. - New York sent Darnold to the Panthers last year in exchange for a second-, fourth- and sixth-round pick. The Falcons, meanwhile, just traded four-time Pro Bowl QB and 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick. That’s after the Colts traded 2021 starter Carson Wentz to the Commanders for two third-round picks (one of which can turn into a second) and swapped second-rounders. - To put this is in more granular terms, Ryan and Wentz are coming off seasons with at least 3,500 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns, feats Darnold has yet to accomplish in his four-year career. Granted, Ryan and Wentz’s contracts impacted their trade value, but Darnold should have never fetched what he did after quickly burning out in Carolina. - The Adams deal might have been the more egregious coup by Douglas considering Adams doesn’t play a premium non-quarterback position. As a refresher, the Seahawks sent two first-round picks, a third-round pick and S Bradley McDougald to the Jets for Adams and a fourth-round pick. - Of all the major non-quarterback trades this offseason, the only one remotely close to the haul the Jets received for Adams is what the Packers got in return for WR Davante Adams. The Raiders dealt their first- and second-round picks in 2022 for the five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. Adams had just one Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod prior to his trade. - Even six-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack only netted the Bears a second- and a sixth-rounder, while four-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper cost a fifth. WR Robert Woods cost a sixth. - Jamal Adams was 25 and Darnold was 24 when they were traded. Darnold is still on a rookie deal after Carolina picked up his fifth-year option. Ryan and Wentz are 36 and 29, respectively, and came with huge cap hits this season. Davante Adams, Mack and Woods are all at least 29 and Cooper will turn 28 this summer. Adams required a massive extension, while the trio of Mack, Woods and Cooper had big contracts already. Seattle’s Adams earned a new deal after a season with the Seahawks. - Douglas also traded TE Chris Herndon for more than Cooper and Woods and LB Blake Cashman for the same return as Woods. Both players grossly underperformed with the Jets, yet Douglas was able to squeeze something out of them. - Clearly, he understands how important draft capital is for rebuilding teams, and he’s been able to convince other teams to overpay for players the Jets don’t want anymore. That’s an impressive trait for a GM. - Now Douglas needs to ace the 2022 NFL draft. - - List - - 2022 NFL draft: Jets land pair of defensive studs in Draft Wire's latest 3-round mock - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Jets Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Jets Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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