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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets:
1. To-do list: General manager Joe Douglas delivered an Aaron Judge-like performance in last year’s NFL draft, knocking it out of the park in historic fashion.
“Joe obviously nailed it,” said Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl and a former longtime NFL scout. “Anytime you land the two rookies of the year in the same class, that’s pretty awesome. I can’t imagine that’s been done very many times.”
In fact, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner became only the third pair of teammates in 56 years to win NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year in the same season.
What can Douglas & Co. do for an encore? The Jets own six picks, including three in the top 43. It would be a successful draft weekend if they:
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Complete the Aaron Rodgers trade. It’s a win for the Jets if they can do it without surrendering any nonconditional first-round picks.
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Address their offensive line needs. Tackle and center are big ones. They could wind up with Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) or Broderick Jones (Georgia) at No. 13 — both left-tackle prospects. The Jets are lucky because this is an unusually strong center class; they should find a good one in the second round. John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota) and Joe Tippmann (Wisconsin) are the names to watch.
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Bolster their defensive tackle depth: They signed Quinton Jefferson but lost Sheldon Rankins and Nathan Shepherd. They need to add a young player to the pipeline. They don’t have a third-round pick (sent to the Cleveland Browns in the Elijah Moore trade), but don’t be surprised if Douglas picks up a three with some maneuvering.
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Add another wide receiver: Yes, they’ve made a lot of moves at receiver, but they’re not done yet. The goal is to surround Rodgers, their presumptive quarterback, with as many playmakers as possible. If the value is there, they could add a wideout at any point in the draft. Josh Downs (North Carolina), ideal in…
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