The Jets acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers Monday and now can turn their attention to the draft this week, a draft in which they will now be picking two spots lower than they originally were going to.
As part of the deal for Rodgers, the Jets and Packers agreed to a swap of picks in the first round, one of the final pieces to the puzzle to get the deal across the finish line. So now instead of picking at No. 13, the Jets are sitting at No. 15 in the first round. Even with dropping two spots, the Jets say their draft plan isn’t changing much.
Jets assistant GM Rex Hogan spoke a bit on that saying the team’s mindset isn’t changing with the move from 13 to 15. Jets GM Joe Douglas added that the team first needed 13 players they feel really good about and now they’ll have 15 such players.
Rex Hogan says moving from No. 13 to No. 15, the Jets draft mindset doesn't change.
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) April 25, 2023
One of the biggest questions now to watch during the draft is will the top offensive tackles be gone by the time the Jets get on the clock. They were already behind a handful of teams that could also draft an offensive tackle in the first round — teams like Las Vegas at No. 7, Chicago at No. 9, Philadelphia at No. 10 and Tennessee at No. 11. With the pick swap, the Jets are now behind Green Bay at No. 13 and New England at No. 14, two more teams that could potentially eye an offensive tackle.
Still, even if the Jets don’t go tackle at 15, other positions such as edge and wide receiver could be in the mix with players such as Georgia edge Nolan Smith and Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to name a few.
