Jets Linked To WR Who Underperformed With Bears; Good Or Bad Idea?

Are the New York Jets going to do anything else to improve their wide receiver room?

Right now, the situation for the Jets is that they have one superstar WR1 (Garrett Wilson), two vets behind him (Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard), and a handful of unproven, young wideouts competing for opportunities.

That doesn’t sound like an amazing situation for new Jets QB Justin Fields from a weaponry standpoint, and former Jets defensive lineman (now analyst) Leger Douzable recently suggested that New York should go and snag another impact receiver to remedy things.

“If im the (Pittsburgh) Steelers and Jets, I'm taking a close look at the veteran WR market before Camp,” Douzable wrote.

“Keenan Allen and Gabe Davis both still available. Both would be #2 for either team right now.”

Allen, 33, doesn’t need to convince anyone of his talent. He’s a six-time Pro Bowler. But are the Jets interested in bringing in aging player? The Jet Press’ Justin Fried doesn’t think so, as evidenced by Fried’s recent comments on a potential Allen signing.

“Don’t expect them to make a splashy move like that,” Fried wrote. 

“Not this year. Everything about their offseason has signaled a shift toward a full-on youth movement, not the same win-now urgency they've shown in recent years. And even if Allen or Davis made sense on paper, it’s hard to see either side having much interest in a short-term rental at this stage. Allen … is coming off his least productive season since 2016.”

Fields makes an interesting point. Allen, despite having 974 career receptions and 11,274 career receiving yards to his name, didn’t look great in 2024 playing for the Chicago Bears.

Still, it’s hard to believe that the Jets wouldn’t stand to benefit from taking a flyer on Allen on a one-year deal, especially given how their receiver depth looks at the moment.

If New York decides to prioritize the evaluation of its younger receivers over plug-and-playing a vet like Allen, the team shouldn’t be surprised if their 2025 win total suffers because of it.