The Jets’ 23-20 win over the Rams made general manager Joe Douglas’s job a little tougher this off-season. Writing Clemson’s quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, with general election no. 1 would have been an easy call. If Jets ends with option no. 2, Douglas faces several choices. Here’s a look at some of his options, if the Jets choose the latter:
- Develop the best defender available and change Sam Darnold. Justin Fields of Ohio and Zach Wilson of BYU are both battling to be the top defender after Lawrence. Neither of them is considered to be Lawrence’s unmissable perspective, but both are considered well-known in NFL circles and could really appear in the draft process. If the Jets are dealing with Darnold, they could probably get a second-round pick plus a late-round pick.
- Change your choice and keep Darnold. If Douglas isn’t sold for any of the possible quarterbacks in this draft, he could keep Darnold, who has a contract for another year, and try to get a huge selection package. In 2016, the Eagles traded two first-round picks, a second-round pick, a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick at the Browns to move up to 2nd and take Carson Wentz. Such a package would speed up the reconstruction of Douglas’s list.
- Get the best non-quarterback available and keep Darnold. Chips need help on their entire list. Landing an elite player here is not the worst option. Oregon striker Pena Sewell is the first non-defender in this draft. Would the Jets take approaches in the first round in years back? It would be unusual to write a correct attack from above, but the Jets could have books with Sewell and Mekhi Becton. Other options here are Alabama WR DeVonta Smith, LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase and Penn State LB Micah Parsons.
- Enroll a veteran defender and trade the choice or use a non-defender. There aren’t a lot of great veteran options waiting to enter the market, so it’s unlikely. Would he replace Douglas with Wentz, whom he has known since his time with the Eagles? It seems unlikely that he would like to change any selection projects right now and take on that contract. Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston and Mitch Trubisky may be available.