QB Aaron Rodgers is out of the picture but the Jets are still left with the task of figuring out who is in their plans at wide receiver as general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn begin to frame their vision ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
In the week before the beginning of free agency, the Jets released veteran wide receivers Davante Adams, 33, and reportedly permitted the representatives of Allen Lazard, 29, to seek a trade. The release of Adams gives the Jets some additional breathing room in terms of the salary cap, and creates a chunk of cap space to possibly pursue a running mate for young star Garrett Wilson in free agency.
Wilson, entering his fourth season, is the undisputed No. 1 at the position. Last season was his best as a pro with 101 receptions for 1,104 yards (his third straight of more than 1,000 yards) and a career best 7 TD receptions. Beyond Wilson and before free agency, offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand is looking at a room that is big on youth but short on experience and production.
After Wilson, the current roster includes Lazard, Irvin Charles, Malik Taylor, Malachi Corley and Xavier Gipson. None of those four made a significant contribution in the pass game last season.
All of that leads us to free agency -- and the NFL Draft at the end of April -- where several older veterans could fit and the most appealing, younger players will come at a premium price.
Perhaps the top wide receiver who was about to hit free agency, Cincinnati's Tee Higgins, came off the board when the salary cap stretched Bengals franchised tagged Higgins, taking him off the market.
Joshua Palmer (LA Chargers)
Palmer, 25, has given the Chargers and QB Justin Herbert a credible downfield threat, with an average of 15 yards per reception the past two seasons. In 15 games last season Palmer (6-1, 210) caught 39 passes (15 yards per) for 584 yards with a TD and a long reception of 45 yards. He was a third-round pick in 2021 out of Tennessee and has had 500 or more receiving yards each season since 2022.
Tim Patrick (Detroit)
Patrick, 31, had a unique connection to Jets GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn. He entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent who spent time with Baltimore and San Francisco before latching on with Denver in October 2017 when Mougey was with the Broncos. Patrick (6-4, 212) signed with the Lions last season when Glenn served as the DC and the Jets' new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand was the passing game coordinator. He played in 16 games, making 33 receptions for 394 yards (11.9 per catch) and 3 TDs. He did, however, miss the 2022 (torn ACL) and 2023 (Achilles tendon tear) seasons because of injuries.
Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay)
Godwin, 29, is coming off a dislocated ankle injury that limited him to 7 games in his eighth season with the Buccaneers. Still, Godwin (6-1, 209) managed to grab 50 passes from QB Baker Mayfield for 576 yards (11.5 per catch) and 5 TDs. In 2021, the Penn State product sustained a torn ACL and sprained MCL 14 games into the NFL season. He roared back in 2002 with a pro career high of 104 receptions and has gone over 1,000 yards receiving in 4 seasons.
Dyami Brown (Washington)
Brown, 28, helped himself on the financial side when he was one of the stars of the Commanders' postseason, catching 11 passes for 187 yards (17 per catch) and a TD from rookie QB Jaylen Daniels -- in the Wild Card round win over Tampa Bay. He followed that with 6 catches against Detroit as the Commanders advanced to the NFC title game, losing to the Eagles. Brown (6-0, 195) has good speed and is a consistent route runner. Washington drafted him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, No. 82 overall, after he played three years at North Carolina. Over his four seasons with Washington, Brown had his best numbers this past season, with 30 receptions for 308 yards (10.3 per catch).
Darius Slayton (NY Giants)
Slayton, 28, had modest success in his five seasons in East Rutherford, NJ, playing with a struggling offense and playing with QB Daniel Jones (now a free agent himself). Slayton (6-1, 198) was selected out of Auburn in the fifth round (No. 171 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 18th wide receiver taken. He tallied 8 TD catches as a rookie (his best number in that category) and caught 50 passes in two seasons (2020 and '23). He was the Giants' best receiver until the team's top draft pick, rookie Malik Nabers, joined Big Blue last season.
Amari Cooper (Buffalo)
Cooper, 31, has played for four teams in the NFL (Oakland, Dallas, Cleveland and Buffalo) and split last season between the Browns and the Bills. An avid and accomplished chess player, Cooper (6-1, 210) missed a couple of games with the Bills because of a wrist injury. Perhaps the highlight of his time in Western New York came in the Week 13 win over the 49ers when he caught a pass from QB Josh Allen, lateraled it back to Allen who ran it in for a TD from 9 yards out. Over his 10-year NFL career (after playing three years at Alabama), Cooper has played in 154 games with 711 receptions for 10,003 yards (14.1 per catch) and 64 TDs.
Stefon Diggs (Houston)
Diggs, 31, is another well-traveled (Minnesota, Buffalo, Houston) veteran who could bring value in the short term. Diggs (6-1, 191) has spent most career catching balls out of the slot (where the Jets hope second-year man Malachi Corley could evolve his game). In his 10 seasons in the NFL, Diggs has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in 6 seasons (twice with the Vikings and in each of his 4 seasons with the Bills). His first year with Buffalo (2020) he was at his most productive with 127 receptions for 1,535 yards (both which led the league) and 8 TDs. Last season, his least productive, he sustained a torn ACL in Week 8 and missed the rest of the season. Over those 8 games, he still managed to make 47 catches for 496 yards (10.6 per) and 3 TDs.
Marquise Brown (Kansas City)
Brown, 27, signed with the Chiefs last year in free agency after the previous two seasons with Arizona. Kansas City was hoping for big things, but Brown (5-9, 180) sustained a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason, was placed on injured reserve and did not return until late December, appearing in only 2 regular-season games. He had a modest bounce-back in the postseason with 5 catches for 50 yards in 3 games.
