Why London Makes Sense for Jets
The Jets used their No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft to select Zach Wilson, who the team obviously believes can be their franchise quarterback after Sam Darnold failed to live up to the hype.
After selecting Wilson, the Jets used their next three picks to build around him on the offensive side, taking G Alijah Vera-Tucker, WR Elijah Moore, and RB Michael Carter. So putting pieces around Wilson is clearly the priority now, and when you look at the Jets' current wide receiver group, it's clear that it needs a lot of work.
Moore was electric as a rookie, but the team’s top two receivers in terms of total catches, Jamison Crowder and Braxton Berrios, are both set to be free agents. Meanwhile, last year’s big offensive signing, wide receiver Corey Davis, played just nine games due to injury, and even when healthy he didn’t look like a the bonafide No. 1 receiver the Jets hoped he would be. Moore gives the Jets a lot of speed, but wouldn’t it be nice for Gang Green to complement him with a tall, physical receiver like London?
London’s brand of football would give the Jets a physical playmaker unlike anyone else on the current roster. And remember all of those times when Wilson got into trouble when trying to extend plays and force the ball into traffic? London is a player who can win those 50-50 balls more times than not and it the kind of physical specimen who can make a quarterback look good even when throwing into dangerous situations.
If the Jets want to see Wilson take a seismic leap forward in his second year, they need to give him weapons, and a player like London would be a huge get.
Why London Makes Sense for Giants
All signs point to the 2022 season being Daniel Jones’ final chance to prove himself as the Giants’ franchise quarterback. As of now, the team has yet to pick up the Duke product’s fifth-year option, and it’s been reported that they likely won’t pick it up in the future, meaning Jones enters the season in a make-or-break scenario. Either he steps up in a big way and earns his second contract with the Giants, or the former sixth overall pick is looking for a new team come next offseason.
So, if the Giants truly want to maximize Jones and get the most out of him in this final exam of a season, they need to give him weapons. The Giants have already cut Kyle Rudolph and Devontae Booker, and while they’re not the biggest names in the locker room, they could just be the start of GM Joe Schoen’s attempt to clear cap space by moving on from key, expensive players. With Evan Engram a free agent and rumors of Saquon Barkley potentially being on the trading block, the Giants need to start adding pieces, rather than just subtracting them.
Kadarius Toney looks like he has a chance to be something special out of the slot, but there are a lot of huge question marks around him at receiver. The Giants have reportedly asked Sterling Shepard to take a huge pay cut, but if he doesn’t he could be on his way out. Then you have Kenny Golladay, who failed to live up to his contract in his first year with the team, recording just 521 yards without a touchdown. Darius Slayton also disappeared in 2021 after a strong first two seasons in the league.
The bottom line is the Giants need playmakers -- especially if they truly want to give Jones the best chance to succeed -- so why not pick up a player who is potentially the best receiver in the draft in London? It’s true that London and Golladay play a similar style, but that could actually be a luxury for the Giants down the road, as having a younger, cheaper version of Golladay could entice them to move on from his bloated contract.
NFL Comparison
Walter Football: Mike Evans/Kenny Golladay
