Anything is possible when Aaron Rodgers is your quarterback. So, thinking the New York Jets may draft a wide receiver come late April isn’t crazy. Over at the DraftKings Sportsbook, the odds on the Jets to draft a wide out are +380 but the position that is the heavy favorite is offensive lineman (-275). It’s impossible to predict the outcome of these bets but the potential that New York lands a wide receiver with its No. 10-pick is there.
The Favorite: Jets to Draft Offensive Lineman -275
It’s not hard to understand why an offensive lineman is the favorite to be drafted Jets. Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury minutes into his first game with New York this past season. So, protecting your quarterback who is coming off that type of injury should be the main focus. There are two blue-chip offensive line prospects in the 2024 draft and they are Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Both could be Day 1 starters for the Jets and could have all sorts of success keeping Rodgers off his back.
When you look at what other teams need offensive line help in Round 1 you don’t have to look far. Tennessee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Detroit and San Francisco all need help up front. The Titans, however, are the only team selecting in front of the Jets. So, if New York wants one of those two top offensive line it should be doable. But there’s a little history of Rodgers shouting from the mountain tops that he wants playmakers.
The Second Favorite: Jets to Draft Wide Receiver +380
When Rodgers was with Green Bay, they never selected an offensive player in the first round of the draft. Now New York’s front office isn’t the Packers front office but there’s no denying that the Jets need help at the wide receiver position.
Former 2022 first-round pick Garrett Wilson has had two tremendous seasons with New York but behind him there hasn’t been much. Wilson eclipsed the 1,000 receiving yards mark in both of his first two seasons and caught four touchdowns last season. But New York’s next best pass catchers – Allen Lazard and Xavier Gipson – combined for just 540 receiving yards and one touchdown in 2023.
The other wide outs on the roster were Jason Brownlee, who played in seven games and caught five passes for 56 yards and one of Rodgers’ buddies Randall Cobb. Cobb, who is no longer on the payroll played in 11 games and caught five passes for a total of 39 yards and one touchdown. Malik Taylor was another option for the Jets but he had just four targets in three games.
The Jets could attack their wide receiver issues in free agency or they could try and grab one of the top 3 pass catchers in this years draft. In NFL.com’s Charles Davis’ latest mock draft, he has Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington’s Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers all going within the first nine picks of the opening round. Davis has Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga going one pick after Nabers to the Jets.
If you’re looking for value then New York to select a wide receiver in the first round of the draft is the bet for you. Rodgers needs another receiving threat outside of Wilson and the Jets’ current roster doesn’t have one. So, if one of those top wide outs falls to them at No. 10, would Rodgers try to sway the organization into taking one? At +380, it’s worth a shot.
Odds provided are via DraftKings Sportsbook.