Content available exclusively for subscribers
Adam Schefter announced that the Jets traded Leonard Williams . . .
. . . for LB Oshane Ximines . . .
Schefter tweeted this afternoon – “Jets traded Leonard Williams to Giants for a 3 this year and a 5 in 2021, per source.”
The Giants third-round pick this year was Old Dominion DE/OLB Oshane Ximines.
This trade makes sense. Williams isn’t a bad player, but not a star. he makes plays, but as the old scouting term goes, “He leaves you wanting more.”
He is a free agent after this season, and the Jets have no interest in giving him a big money contract, so this trade deadline was the last legitimate chance to get something decent in return, because slapping him with the franchise tag and then trying to trade him would be a tough challenge since the market wouldn’t be great for him. So the 2019 trade deadline was the time to get something for him.
And the Jets have an emerging player at Williams position in Foley Fatukasi, who the Jets desperately need to get on the field more. The Jets need Fatukasi in the starting lineup. He’s the only legit athletic big body they have on the defensive line. He’s 318 pounds and can move. The Jets are very undersized up front, and that is why they are getting gashed a lot on the ground. Leonard Williams was handled by single blocks on too many long runs this year. Williams isn’t a immovable big body. He’s about 6-4, 295. Joe Douglas knows the importance of big, athletic defensive tackles – like in Philly with Fletcher Cox, and a long line of big, athletic defensive tackles in Baltimore, like Haloti Ngata and Brandon Williams. Huge powerful guys with quick feet. Williams is athletic and quick, but not that powerful. Fatukasi is massive powerful man with good foot quickness.
And Williams needed a change of scenery. You could tell all the losing and constant regime changes were getting to him. It was wearing him down.
The Jets also did him a little bit of a favor. His family is settled in a house in Mendham, and by trading him to the Giants, he doesn’t have to uproot his family. They can stay put.
We will see what Schefter announces over the next 24 hours regarding other Jets trades, but clearly the Jets need to be sellers at the trade deadline.
There should be zero reluctancy to trade wide receiver Robby Anderson. He’s a monotone player – a terrific deep threat, but isn’t going to win any jump balls or contested passes. But there is a market for speedy receiver who runs 4.34, that is why Ted Ginn keeps getting jobs. On a team that has good receivers already, but might not have a burner who can take the top off a defense, Anderson would be good compliment. We will see what Schefter announces.
But “Big Joe” needs to take over right now, and not worry about the coach’s needs, and look to the future with a fire sale. Coaches are worried about the here and now, but GM’s need to take a 30,000 foot view at all times.
Trading Williams for Ximines (and a fifth-round pick) is a good start.
I know the Jets didn’t truly trade for a Ximines, but Schefter in his rush to get the story out on Twitter, after it was leaked by some weak person, an unnamed sleaze bag, said a third-round pick “this year.” The Giants third round pick this was was Ximines. Obviously he meant a third-round pick in the 2020 draft.
As you can tell, I’m not a big fan of the “insider” industry. Never have been, and never will be. It’s an industry of the compromised.
October 28, 2019
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Tuesday (Joe Douglas is speaking on Tuesday for the first time since the summer).
