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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets:1. A sip of Jameson? If the Jets don’t make a blockbuster trade for Deebo Samuel or DK Metcalf before the NFL draft, they could be staring at the prospect of picking the second-best wide receiver from a good, but not great class. It’s not an ideal situation, especially for a franchise that has struggled to draft quality receivers.”None of these guys have the same grade as DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase or Jaylen Waddle,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said of this year’s receiver prospects. “Those three last year all had elite grades.”Garrett Wilson (Ohio State), Drake London (USC) and Jameson Williams (Alabama) are generally regarded as the top three. Wilson, Williams and Chris Olave (Ohio State), another first-round talent, have made pre-draft visits to the Jets, who have to be thinking receiver with their second pick in the first round (10th overall).Wilson is “the closest” in talent to last year’s trio, according to Kiper, who added that London (fractured ankle in October) and Williams (torn ACL in January) might have approached that status if they had stayed healthy. Wilson has been linked to the Atlanta Falcons (No. 8 overall).As for the Jets’ options, don’t sleep on Williams, who displayed Tyreek Hill-like speed and big-play ability before his injury in the College Football Playoff National Championship. He’d be a gamble because he might not be healthy until November, but the long-term payoff could be huge. The Jets are interested, one source said. How interested remains to be seen.”Even with the injury, he could go top 20, maybe top 10,” Kiper said.The Jets were unsuccessful in their attempt to trade for the actual Tyreek Hill, and they continue to monitor Samuel, Metcalf and other veteran receivers — perhaps a sign they’re not in love with the draft possibilities.2. Post-Keyshawn drought: The Jets’ track record for drafting receivers is poor. Maybe Elijah Moore, a 2021 second-round pick, can reverse the awful trend. Consider:

• The last receiver to make the Pro Bowl in a Jets uniform was Keyshawn Johnson, selected No. 1 overall in 1996. He did it in 1998 and 1999.
• The last one to record a 1,000-yard season for the Jets was Jerricho Cotchery, a 2004 draft pick who reached 1,000 in 2007.
• Of the 24 receivers drafted since Johnson, only four have recorded multiple 100-yard games as Jets — Cotchery (eight), Santana Moss (seven), Laveranues Coles (13) and Dedric Ward (four). We’re not talking monster seasons, just games.

3. Positive report on Mims: That the Jets haven’t added a veteran wide receiver is a little surprising. They re-signed Braxton Berrios, but lost Jamison Crowder in free agency, which means their current depth chart is thinner than last season.Should we perceive this as a vote of confidence for Denzel Mims?The Jets’ coaches are getting good reports on Mims, who cut his body fat to 8% this offseason, but it’s premature to group him with Berrios, Moore and Corey Davis as roster locks. They probably will add at least one more receiver, either a high draft pick or a veteran via trade. Even if that happens, Mims figures to get one last shot in training camp to prove himself to this coaching staff, which puts a premium on route running — not one of his strengths.4. Apple Sauce? Some mock drafts have the Jets taking cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner with the fourth pick. A couple of thoughts on that:• Ranks: Kiper » | McShay » | Positions »
• Mocks: Kiper » | McShay » | Reid »
• Stacking the QBs » | Intriguing teams »
• Full draft order » | First Draft podcast »
• More coverage » | Full rankings »
While cornerback is a premium position on the NFL landscape, it’s viewed differently by coach Robert Saleh, who believes he can find system corners later in the draft for his zone-based scheme. He saw that philosophy work with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.The Jets addressed the position in free agency, signing D.J. Reed (three years, $33 million). To make another major investment, they would have to deem Gardner a unicorn-type player. In Saleh’s world, a tie goes to the edge rusher.5. Wilson’s year-round coach: The Jets made an unorthodox move during the season, adding Zach Wilson’s California-based quarterback instructor — John Beck — to the coaching staff. Basically, it was like hiring a personal tutor in the middle of an exam.Beck, who has returned to private practice, continues to work with Wilson, a relationship that began several years ago. Beck senses a carryover from the season, which he believes will benefit the second-year quarterback.”I watch tape with a lot of quarterbacks in the offseason, but I’m not on their team as they went through it, the way I was with Zach,” Beck told ESPN. “I know what it was like leading up to the game. I was there every day of the week and I was with him on the sideline. I know what it was like the day after the game. I know the coaching points the coaches were making because I sat in the coaches’ meetings the day after the game. All of those things all have value in helping him.”Wilson will be in New Jersey for the next couple of months as the offseason ramps up, but he will get house calls from Beck, who is planning to fly east for occasional check-ins.6. Back at it: The Jets begin their offseason program on Monday. The first practice is May 23, with the offseason concluding with minicamp (June 14-16). By rule, it’s voluntary, except for the minicamp. This will be different from last year in that Saleh is planning to tone down the intensity, using more walk-throughs and 7-on-7 periods than before. This seems to be a leaguewide trend.Around the NFL, it’s also a chance to make extra money by collecting a workout bonus, but only one Jets player has a workout bonus in his contract — defensive end John Franklin-Myers ($100,000).7. No contract squabble: In case you’re wondering, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is expected to attend the start of the offseason program — a positive sign. He’s eligible for a new contract, but he’s not going to pull a Jamal Adams by staying away and rattling cages.The Jets have said they’re open to discussing a new contract, but there’s not much happening on that front. Williams is signed for 2022, and his fifth-year option (2023) will be exercised by May 2, the team has said.8. Did you know? Barring a trade, the Jets (No. 4) and New York Giants (No. 5) will pick back-to-back in Round 1 for only the seventh time in the common-draft era (since 1967). This is only the second time the Jets have the honor of going first.A look at the complete history:New York-New YorkYearPicksPlayersEdge20182, 3RB Saquon Barkley (Giants), QB Sam Darnold (Jets)Giants200011, 12RB Ron Dayne (Giants), DE Shaun Ellis (Jets)Jets19977, 8WR Ike Hilliard (Giants), LB James Farrior (Jets)Jets199214, 15TE Derek Brown (Giants), TE Johnny Mitchell (Jets)Jets19822, 3LB Lawrence Taylor (Giants), RB Freeman McNeil (Jets)Giants19774, 5OT Marvin Powell (Jets), DE Gary Jeter (Giants)Jets9. Bookends: Pre-draft visits tend to get overblown in the media, but it’s worth noting that Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon), two of the top edge rushers, both visited the Jets on Friday. I’ve heard of cases where teams try to get the top guys in the same room, just to see how they respond to each other. Hutchinson won’t be available with the fourth pick, but Thibodeaux could be.10. Still available: Only three of the Jets’ unrestricted free agents remain unsigned: wide receiver Keelan Cole, guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and tight end Tyler Kroft.
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars are picking in the top 10 in the NFL draft for the 14th time in the past 15 years.They’ll be making the first overall pick for the second consecutive year and will have a top-five selection for the eighth time in the past 11 years.Answer questions on the 2022 NFL draft for a chance to win $100,000! Make Your Picks
Why have they had so many high draft picks? Because they’ve lost 10 or more games in 10 of the past 11 seasons.Why have they lost so many games? Because they’ve drafted poorly, especially when it comes to those high picks.It’s a vicious circle that won’t end until the franchise starts hitting on its picks, developing them into core players and signing them to second or third deals, instead of trying to fix its draft mistakes via free agency.“If you look at our roster, there’s very few players that are second-contract Jaguars, and that’s something that has to change if we want to change the culture and the direction of the organization,” general manager Trent Baalke said. “It’s going to start there. It’s going to start by drafting well, developing well and getting guys into their second contracts.”“If you look at our roster, there’s very few players that are second-contract Jaguars, and that’s something that has to change if we want to change the culture and the direction of the organization,” general manager Trent Baalke said. Zach Bolinger/Icon SportswireBaalke, who is in his second season as the team’s GM, has a pretty low bar to top at this point. There are only four players on the current roster who are playing on their second or third contract: left tackle Cam Robinson (second franchise tag), guard/tackle Will Richardson Jr., defensive end Dawuane Smoot and punter Logan Cooke.Robinson is the most notable of the group, but none of them have come close to making a Pro Bowl. Richardson has started only five games.Only 10 of the Jaguars’ 59 draft picks from 2012 to 2019 have signed a second contract with the team. Only one (quarterback Blake Bortles) was taken in the first round (2014). The other players who signed second deals: Wide receiver Marqise Lee (second round, 2014), center Brandon Linder (third round, 2014), linebacker Telvin Smith (fifth round, 2014), guard A.J. Cann (third round, 2015), linebacker Myles Jack (second round, 2016), Smoot (third round, 2017), Cooke (seventh round, 2018), Richardson (fourth round, 2018), and Robinson (second round, 2017).• Ranks: Kiper » | McShay » | Positions »
• Mocks: Kiper » | McShay » | Reid »
• Stacking the QBs » | Intriguing teams »
• Full draft order » | First Draft podcast »
• More coverage » | Full rankings »
Defensive end Josh Allen was the team’s first-round pick in 2019 and is eligible to sign an extension this offseason; the team has until May 2 to exercise their fifth-year option on his contract.Of the 10 first-round picks from 2012-20:It’s hard to win games when you’re getting little or no production out of your premium draft picks — and it’s hard to catch up when you’re trying to fix those mistakes through free agency.The Jaguars hope drafting quarterback Trevor Lawrence first overall in 2021 was the first step in changing the direction of the franchise. And they hope last year’s other first-rounder, Travis Etienne Jr., will make an impact in 2022 after missing his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury. Baalke has another chance with this year’s first pick to add another foundational piece, whether it’s defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, offensive tackles Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu or a surprise pick — such as defensive lineman Travon Walker.• AFC North offseason roundtable
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It will take several more years before we’ll know if the Jaguars have reached the point where they’re not relying on free agency to keep filling the holes they’ve created by not drafting well — the way they did this spring when they spent $175.3 million in guaranteed money on free agents.“The rosters are always evolving in this league,” Baalke said. “You look at the league; the natural thing is 30-40% turnover almost on a yearly basis. There’s a lot of churning of rosters. Guys become free agents, they move on. Guys get injured, they don’t come back. There’s a lot of factors involved, but we had to address some serious needs that the organization had. If you look at the past drafts, there just aren’t that many players that are still left for various reasons, whether they chose to go on their own, they were traded out or whatever.“We feel real good about where we’re at. And what we’re trying to build is stability within the ranks — keep as many guys, don’t churn the roster as much as it has been churned here. Get guys into their second contracts as Jaguars. That’s the important thing. Once we start getting in that rhythm, I think the build will really take care of itself.”
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