Trader Joe

They should see what they could get . . .

I’m talking about possibly trading cornerback Trumaine Johnson and center Ryan Kalil.

I think trading both are no-brainers.

Let’s be honest, the well is poisoned with Johnson after his benching in Week 17 of last season for lateness to practice and meetings, and then after Week One this year for performance. This is over, man. You can’t put lipstick on this situation and make it look pretty. I respect Jets defensive back coach Dennard Wilson, but what he said about Johnson last week sounded like he was talking about a rookie as opposed to a player making $14.5 million-a-year.

“With Trumaine it’s coming to work. He’s trying to do his job and he’s practicing harder. He’s playing and he’s trying to be detailed about his work and he’s trying to await his opportunity,” said Wilson. “He played a little bit last week [Patriots] and in the life of a corner or DB you never know, it’s always next man up. So, he’s getting ready and he’s preparing the same way he’s prepared before and if his opportunity comes, he’ll be ready to play.

“He just needs to keep stacking days. When his number is called he’s got to be ready.”

Is he talking about Kyron Brown or Trumaine Johnson? Sounds like he’s talking about a young, developing kid, not a 29-year-old highly-paid free-agent addition.

This situation is beyond repair, but you know what, he’s a tradeable commodity. So many teams have myriad secondary injuries. The Los Angeles Chargers already have three key defensive backs on injured reserve.

How about trading him back home to Los Angeles for a mid-round pick?

How about Seattle, where they like big, physical corners, and aren’t caught up in speed at the position?

Maybe Philly, a team ravaged at cornerback.

Part of the trade will need to be a contract restructuring with the new team helping the Jets out a little with the contract.

As for Kalil, what a bad match he is with the Jets now. He was talked about of retirement by the CAA cabal to come play with supposed contender, but that clearly isn’t the case. If a contender needs a center, hold them up for a third-round pick to solve their center position.

He has this look on his face sometimes where you sense he’s thinking, “What the heck am I doing here?”

Kalil is a terrific player, but this signing was a frivolous move the Jets. They didn’t need him. Sam Darnold played well late last season with Jon Harrison at center, and the two have a good relationship. Why mess that up with a new center in early August who has no chemistry with the franchise QB or the rest of the line? And you have seen the line continuity issues early in the season.

But Kalil can still play, and if you are contender, he’d be a heck of an addition, and don’t you think he would like to play perhaps his last NFL season with a strong playoff contender.

Trader Joe should look into trading both of these guys and land draft pick and/or players.

Neither player seems like a great fit anymore.

October 1, 2019

Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Wednesday.