The New York Jets have nine selections in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft.
With an aggressive mindset heading into this offseason, there is a great chance that number will change based on some trade activity.
General manager Joe Douglas said his team is “open for business” in that regard at this year’s NFL combine.
Although there is at least one potential deal that he could have some hesitation with if it comes to fruition.
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That Would Be Something
A pair of ESPN NFL Insiders, Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, shared the latest free agency and trade buzz they were hearing from this year’s NFL combine.
One very interesting nugget was on the New York Giants’ interest in NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu.
If he doesn’t go No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Big Blue “could take him at No. 5 or even move up a spot or two to get him if that’s what it takes.”
Of course, the team that holds the No. 4 overall pick is the green and white in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft.
If these two bitter rivals decided to make a deal it would be historic. The only other trade-in history that the Jets and Giants have executed was back in 2019 for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
The Juice Has to Be Worth the Squeeze
As is the case any year, it takes two to tango when it comes to trades.
Everyone wants to trade back, but you need a team who is willing to come up and someone who is willing to pay a proper price.
In this projected scenario, the Jets would be allowing the Giants to jump up and get the offensive lineman of their dreams.
According to the NFL draft value chart, there are only 100 points of separation between the No. 4 and No. 5 overall pick.
If you used that as a guideline for a trade, all the Giants would have to give up is a fourth and a fifth-round draft choice.
Giants receive: No. 4 overall (1,800 points)
Jets receive: No. 5 overall (1,700 points), No. 111 overall (72 points), No. 147 overall (31 points)
“I feel like New York definitely would be a good environment for me. I think I’d fit right in.”- Ikem Ekwonu #Jets
Although for the Jets to agree to this deal, the juice has to be worth the squeeze. Even though this trade would be fair according to the chart, there is no way they could go through with this.
Gang Green would be better served simply taking Ekwonu themselves then handing him over for a bag of peanuts.
A better example to follow would be the Mitchell Trubisky Chicago Bears-San Francisco 49ers draft-day trade from 2017.
In that deal, the Bears jumped up one spot going from No. 3 overall to No. 2 overall. They gave up No. 67, No. 111, and a future third-round draft choice.
Now that would be a fantastic haul that Douglas and the Jets would have to strongly consider if offered.
They could slide down just a single spot, pick up multiple valuable assets and still take a player that would fill a major need with the No. 5 overall pick.
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Jets, Giants Could Be Involved in Historic Draft Trade: Report