The New York Jets have a chance to improve their treasure trove of draft picks.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed an intriguing draft day trade.
New York Jets receive: a 2025 first-round draft choice (No. 10 overall) and a 2025 third-round draft choice (No. 72 overall)
Chicago Bears receive: a 2025 first-round pick (No. 7 overall) and a 2025 fifth-rounder (No. 162 overall)
“With three top-50 picks and another in the top 75, Ryan Poles has as much flexibility to move around as any general manager. There has been a clear emphasis on fixing the line of scrimmage in Chicago this offseason, as it imported three new linemen on offense (Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson) and two on defense (Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett). Some of those deals might have been a little generous, but the game plan certainly makes sense and hits places the Bears were lacking a year ago,” Barnwell said.
Jets Improve the Quality Over the Quantity
In this proposed deal, the Jets might not have increased the quantity of their picks, but they sure improved the quality.
For a small trade back in the first round of just three slots, the Jets jumped 90 spots in the middle of the draft.
According to the NFL draft value chart, the Jets’ No. 7 overall pick is worth 1,500 points and the Bears’ No. 10 overall pick is worth 1,300 points. That means Chicago has to make up a 200-point differential to move up.
The Bears’ third-rounder (No. 72 overall) is worth 230 points. While the Jets’ fifth-rounder (No. 162 overall), the later of their two fifth-round draft choices, is only worth 26.6 points. Points for points, this was about as even of a trade as you can get, according to the value chart.
If this trade were to go through, the Jets would have four picks inside the top-73.
Jets Would Give Away Draft Crush in Trade Scenario
Barnwell explained that the Bears would be trading up with the Jets for Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in this scenario.
“Could this be the spot in which the Bears veer off-script and get another playmaker for Caleb Williams? For all the talk of how much new coach Ben Johnson loves and cherishes offensive linemen, the Lions repeatedly drafted playmakers early over the past few years, landing Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs,” Barnwell said.
“With the Panthers in an endless hunt for receivers, the Bears could jump ahead of Carolina and grab tight end Tyler Warren. Cole Kmet’s deal has no guaranteed money remaining after 2025, and Durham Smythe is on a one-year deal. Johnson’s Lions lined up in 12 personnel (two tight ends) more than 32% of the time last season, which means taking Warren would make sense.”
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Warren is the most likely target for the Jets with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round.
So why hand him on a silver platter to another team?
NFL draft analyst Drew Beatty of Draft Professors dot com joined me on “Boy Green Daily” on Monday, March 31.
During our conversation, he explained why he wouldn’t take Warren in the first round if he were the Jets.
“There is a need at tight end [for the Jets], but this is a deep TE class. I’m not quite as high on Tyler Warren as some people are, but I understand the appeal,” Beatty explained to me. “I’m kind of anti-tight end in the top 10 unless you are getting Brock Bowers. Tyler Warren is not at that level as a prospect.”
Beatty told me that if you’re the Jets, you can get a quality tight end in this draft’s second, third, and fourth rounds.
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