At the New York Jets' home base in Northern New Jersey, the Trader Joe's is always open for business.
General manager Joe Douglas has made 14 player trades in his 28 months on the job, an unusually high number even in a league that recently began to embrace the idea of dealing veteran players. All told, he has moved or acquired 15 players, sixth-most in the NFL since June 2019, according to ESPN Stats & Information. With his track record, it wouldn't surprise anyone if he makes a move before the league trading deadline next Tuesday.
Basically, Douglas makes two types of trades:
1. Small deals to address short-term needs, as he did Monday with the acquisition of backup quarterback Joe Flacco for a 2022 conditional sixth-round pick. He made a similar trade in August, picking up defensive end Shaq Lawson for a 2022 sixth-rounder.
2. He sells off established starters, often on expiring contracts, to stockpile future assets. Most notably, he traded defensive end Leonard Williams, safety Jamal Adams, quarterback Sam Darnold and tight end Chris Herndon.
The one trade he hasn't made is the blockbuster that imports a big-time talent. Don't expect that to change in the coming days.
At 1-5, the Jets are out of contention, casting themselves as sellers, not buyers, as the deadline approaches. Wide receiver Jamison Crowder and safety Marcus Maye, both in the last year of their contracts, fit the profile of players who could get moved by Douglas.
Coach Robert Saleh punted on a question about whether he'd be in favor of a deadline fire sale.
"My commitment is to our players, obviously," he said. "My job is to try to make Joe’s life miserable with regards to trying to pay them all the money that they need to get paid and keep them all under the salary cap. That’s my job. Whatever happens in between, that's not my focus. I’m really just focused on trying to get these guys to play their absolute best so we can show the entire Jet nation why I truly believe we’re going to win championships. I know it’s hard to see right now, but I know the direction we’re going in, I know where it’s going to get."
While Douglas has mastered the art of the fire sale, he hasn't imported any impact players via the trade route. He thought Bradley McDougald, a throw-in in the Adams trade, could be a serviceable safety, but he didn't play well and got hurt. The worst move was giving a sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Quincy Wilson, who lasted only three games.
Of the seven players acquired in trades, five of whom are out of the league, none cost the Jets more than a sixth-round pick. Those misses "aren't a big deal because they didn't give up much," Tannenbaum said. "There are a lot of different ways to build depth on your roster."
Overall, Douglas has made 19 trades, including draft-pick swaps, tied for the fourth-most during his run as the GM. He's conservative when it comes to trading for players; he's aggressive when it comes to parting with them. Eventually, it may take a blockbuster trade to find the proverbial missing piece. Right now, they're nowhere close to that stage.
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General manager Joe Douglas has made 14 player trades in his 28 months on the job, an unusually high number even in a league that recently began to embrace the idea of dealing veteran players. All told, he has moved or acquired 15 players, sixth-most in the NFL since June 2019, according to ESPN Stats & Information. With his track record, it wouldn't surprise anyone if he makes a move before the league trading deadline next Tuesday.
Basically, Douglas makes two types of trades:
1. Small deals to address short-term needs, as he did Monday with the acquisition of backup quarterback Joe Flacco for a 2022 conditional sixth-round pick. He made a similar trade in August, picking up defensive end Shaq Lawson for a 2022 sixth-rounder.
2. He sells off established starters, often on expiring contracts, to stockpile future assets. Most notably, he traded defensive end Leonard Williams, safety Jamal Adams, quarterback Sam Darnold and tight end Chris Herndon.
The one trade he hasn't made is the blockbuster that imports a big-time talent. Don't expect that to change in the coming days.
At 1-5, the Jets are out of contention, casting themselves as sellers, not buyers, as the deadline approaches. Wide receiver Jamison Crowder and safety Marcus Maye, both in the last year of their contracts, fit the profile of players who could get moved by Douglas.
Coach Robert Saleh punted on a question about whether he'd be in favor of a deadline fire sale.
"My commitment is to our players, obviously," he said. "My job is to try to make Joe’s life miserable with regards to trying to pay them all the money that they need to get paid and keep them all under the salary cap. That’s my job. Whatever happens in between, that's not my focus. I’m really just focused on trying to get these guys to play their absolute best so we can show the entire Jet nation why I truly believe we’re going to win championships. I know it’s hard to see right now, but I know the direction we’re going in, I know where it’s going to get."
While Douglas has mastered the art of the fire sale, he hasn't imported any impact players via the trade route. He thought Bradley McDougald, a throw-in in the Adams trade, could be a serviceable safety, but he didn't play well and got hurt. The worst move was giving a sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Quincy Wilson, who lasted only three games.
Of the seven players acquired in trades, five of whom are out of the league, none cost the Jets more than a sixth-round pick. Those misses "aren't a big deal because they didn't give up much," Tannenbaum said. "There are a lot of different ways to build depth on your roster."
Overall, Douglas has made 19 trades, including draft-pick swaps, tied for the fourth-most during his run as the GM. He's conservative when it comes to trading for players; he's aggressive when it comes to parting with them. Eventually, it may take a blockbuster trade to find the proverbial missing piece. Right now, they're nowhere close to that stage.
New York Jets GM always looking to deal -- 14 player trades and counting
With Douglas' track record, it wouldn't be a surprise if he makes a move before next Tuesday's trade deadline.
