No team is more all-in on the 2024 NFL season than the New York Jets. That hasn’t worked out great, with a 3-6 record leaving the Jets’ playoff hopes on life support. Still, a Thursday night win over the Houston Texans was an encouraging step forward, particularly for Aaron Rodgers and the passing game.
With Davante Adams in tow and Garrett Wilson growing more comfortable with Rodgers by the week, the Jets have an opportunity to make one more final push before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Here we break down another potential trade acquisition for the passing game.
Jets Might as Well Push More Chips Into the Middle
Trade proposal:
- Jets acquire: TE David Njoku, 2025 seventh-round pick
- Browns acquire: 2025 third-round pick, 2025 sixth-round pick
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku has one more year remaining on his contract, albeit for a prohibitive $22.2 million cap hit. Thus, the Jets would likely need to extend, cut, or trade Njoku in the offseason, making this a potential rental.
Of course, no team is less focused on the future than the Jets, and Njoku would clearly represent an upgrade over Tyler Conklin at tight end. Despite missing three games with a high-ankle sprain, Njoku has played well in a tough environment.
Jameis to Njoku to celebrate #NationalTightEndsDay!
📺: #BALvsCLE on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/yBLlT5hS5B— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
Despite Deshaun Watson rendering the Browns offense non-functional, Njoku still ranks 14th among tight ends in yards per route (1.6). With Jameis Winston at quarterback in Week 8, Njoku had five catches for 61 yards and his second touchdown of the season.
The Jets haven’t gotten much production out of the tight end position this year. Jets TEs rank 30th in yards per reception (7.9) and 26th in receiving yards (299). Aaron Rodgers ranks 24th in EPA per target (0.06) to tight ends this season.
Njoku is averaging only 9.0 yards per reception, but that’s more a byproduct of his dysfunctional environment. From 2020-23, Njoku ranked 10th among tight ends with 11.3 yards per reception.
The Browns’ tight end wouldn’t be some type of vanity acquisition for the Jets either. Since Davante Adams made his Jets debut in Week 7, he and Garrett Wilson have had to carry the majority of the passing game. Adams and Wilson have combined for 55% of the targets and 61% of the receiving yards in that span.
With Mike Williams being a potential trade chip and Allen Lazard sitting on injured reserve, the Jets don’t really have the depth to support their top two pass-catchers. Adding Njoku (or any viable third pass-catcher) would bring much-needed balance to the offense and prevent Rodgers from over-relying on his preferred targets.
It’s debatable how wise the Jets’ all-in push is considering the age of their roster and place in the standings. However, New York embodies the “in for a penny, in for a pound” saying, and adding Njoku would jive with the franchise’s approach.