New York Jets shouldn’t trade for Martavis Bryant
The New York Jets should avoid the urge to trade for disgruntled Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant.
The New York Jets traded for a wide receiver to help their depth at that position before the season began. With that said, along with Jermaine Kearse, the Jets acquired a second round draft pick. Now Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant wants out, and has demanded a trade. Meanwhile, the Jets could still use depth and quality at receiver.
Bryant would improve this team, and having him around would help the young receivers, especially the speed receivers, because that’s his talent. However, there are two problems with acquiring Bryant. The first is giving up a draft pick.
General manager Mike Maccagnan and owner Woody Johnson have said they want to build the team through the draft. Even though the Jets acquired a draft pick in the Jermaine Kearse and Sheldon Richardson swap, they’d undoubtedly have to give one up for Bryant, and it would be a valuable one.
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Luis Tirado Jr. of The Jet Press wrote that, via the Jets Media Relations Department, Mike Maccagnan had this to say about how he wants to build the team:
"Going into this, our focus has always been to build through the draft. I think that’s the best way. You build your foundation of young players going forward. Ideally, you get to a point where you can either determine which players you want to sign from your own of players that have been in your organization for four years or five years, depending on their contracts, or go through free agency."
The second problem with trading for Bryant would be his contract. It’s not the money in his contract, because he’s still on his rookie deal. It’s the fact that 2018 is the final year of his deal. For this deal to make sense, the Jets would not only have to trade a draft pick, but they’d have to work out an extension for Bryant.
The reason for that is simple. The Jets are not one season away from being a consistent viable contender. If they trade a draft pick for Bryant, and he walks after next season, that will be a waste of trading a draft pick, and that pick could’ve been used on a player that the Jets would have for four or five years.
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Given all of these factors, despite his talent, it doesn’t make sense for the short-term or long-term future of the franchise. There are too many variables at play that have to work out perfectly for it to make sense. Say what you will about his talent, but it’s just too risky.