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Adam Schefter, ESPN Senior WriterOct 19, 2024, 08:08 PM ET
- ESPN NFL Insider
- Joined ESPN in 2009
- Former president of the Pro Football Writers of America and the author of four books
After the New York Jets‘ acquisition of Davante Adams this week, a select group of NFL teams have inquired into whether the Jets would be willing to trade fellow star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The Jets have heard from other teams but are not planning to trade Wilson, according to sources.
It’s understandable why teams would reach out to the Jets, who added talent at the wide receiver position in Adams. These teams also know Wilson eventually will be in line to land the type of lucrative contract that other wide receivers have signed in recent months, as the market at that position has exploded.
Teams have been willing to try to acquire Wilson with the understanding they also would be willing to pay the former first-round draft selection once he is eligible for a new contract. But that seems like a moot point for the time being, with New York planning to keep Wilson.
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Though they are not expected to trade Wilson, the Jets are listening to offers for veteran wide receiver Mike Williams, according to league sources.
Williams did not practice Wednesday or Thursday because of personal reasons, but the eight-year veteran said he was expecting to play Sunday night against the Steelers.
The Raiders at one point were interested in Williams being included in any potential Adams trade — Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco drafted and signed Williams to an extension during their time together in Los Angeles with the Chargers — but he was not included in the blockbuster trade that was completed Tuesday.
The Jets instead held on to Williams for the time being, but it might not be much longer. Two of the interested teams, according to league sources, are expected to be the Steelers and the Chargers, where Williams played the first seven years of his career.
The Jets and Steelers decided to table any substantive discussions about Williams until next week, according to league sources.
Neither Williams nor Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich divulged the reason for the receiver’s two-day respite this week. Williams had been called out by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for running the wrong route on the game-clinching interception in Monday night’s 23-20 loss to the Bills.
The Jets traded for Adams the next day, meaning a reduced role for Williams, who sidestepped a question Friday on whether he wanted to be traded. Williams did say he was “excited” to have Adams on the team, and Wilson shared that sentiment, adding that Adams was “one of my favorite players” growing up.
Asked if he was worried about losing targets, Wilson, the most-targeted player in the NFL, said, “Nah, at the end of the day, if I do lose a few targets, that’s fine. I got 22 the other day [in Week 5]. It don’t take that many to get where I want to get.”
The 2022 offensive rookie of the year, Wilson has 41 receptions for 399 yards and three touchdowns this season, and Williams has only 10 catches for 145 yards.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.
