Every team has needs. But few have one as pressing as the New York Jets do at wide receiver.
Rookie quarterback Geno Smith had very little to work with last season, and the cast won't look any better after the Jets purge the bloated salary of Santonio Holmes in the coming weeks. As Chris Wesseling noted, 22 players caught more touchdowns than all Jets receivers combined last season. This has to change.
Jeremy Maclin and Emmanuel Sanders are reported targets in free agency, but the Jets could go further. During a Tuesday conference call, NFL Media's Mike Mayock addressed the possibility the Jets use the draft to complete their positional facelift.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all, if the Jets pick multiple wide receivers this year," Mayock said. "You're sitting there at 18, I've said earlier I think any one of three receivers sitting there. Marqise Lee who is a different guy that fits in that slot, outside and helps in the return game, versus the two big-bodied guys -- Evans and Benjamin.
"I think all three of them are talented enough to work with that group. (Jeremy) Kerley's already a slot, Holmes is at the end of his career, Stephen Hill's an outside guy. I just think you pick less about X's and O's ... my perspective would be you can't go wrong with Marqise Lee or Mike Evans."
If the Jets really want to know if Geno Smith can play (and you have to assume they do), they need to surround the QB with some legit playmakers. Turning wide receiver into a position of strength solves one problem while helping to determine an answer elsewhere.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" discusses controversial draft prospects Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney and reviews the offseason forecasts for the St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers.**
