Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive
The Jets jumped at the chance to get a third-round pick in exchange for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. But no, that doesn't get them any closer to the biggest prize on the market -- Khalil Mack.
In fact, it remains "unlikely" that the Jets or anyone will pry Mack away from the Raiders, according to an AFC source who has been in contact with the team. The Jets probably have the ammunition to get Mack and they certainly have the desire. But the Raiders "aren't likely to deal him -- at least not right now," the source said.
"And if they do," the source added, "it's going to be very, very expensive."
According to one report, the price will likely be two first-round picks (to which the AFC source said "maybe you should add 'at least"). The Raiders, the source said, believe that Mack is the best defensive player in football and they are convinced his holdout won't last much longer -- especially since when the regular season starts he'll be drawing fines of about $814,000 per week.
"They'd have to be bowled over to trade him right now," the source said. "They're listening when teams call. They're not really talking. But if someone really gets their attention with a crazy offer, maybe things would change."
The Jets are one of the teams that have called the Raiders about Mack, the source confirmed, but they are "one of at least a dozen. When a guy like this looks available, half the league is interested." None of the calls seem to have turned into serious talks, though. One reason might be that there is some uncertainty, the source said, over who is making the decision in Oakland. GM Reggie McKenzie is taking the lead, but everyone assumes that powerful new coach Jon Gruden will make the final call.
Even if the Raiders do decide to deal him, here's why the Jets are unlikely to do it...
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has been consistent about his desire to build the team through the draft, which makes it seem very unlikely he'd be willing to give away even one first-round draft pick. He's not opposed to dealing draft picks -- after all, he dealt three second-round picks to move up in the draft to eventually land quarterback Sam Darnold -- but there's a limit to how many high picks a rebuilding team can afford to give up.
Besides, that's why Maccagnan traded Bridgewater now, sending the quarterback and a sixth-round pick to New Orleans for a third-round pick. He clearly could have done better than that if he waited a few weeks and if someone's starting quarterback got hurt. But a team source said that once it was clear that Darnold was going to be the Jets' starter, Maccagnan preferred to ship an expendable asset like Bridgewater for a third-round pick, rather than wait to see if someone got desperate. If he waited, he would've risked getting nothing for Bridgewater at all.
The draft picks also aren't the only concern when it comes to making a deal for Mack. If they traded for him right now, the Jets would get a player who is still holding out for a new contract. Basically, they'd be dealing for someone else's problem unless they're also willing to give Mack a lucrative, long-term deal. And Mack, according to reports, wants to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league -- a bar that is expected to be set by Rams DT Aaron Donald shortly at perhaps as much as $22 million per year.
Now, the Jets could do that. They still have $15.8 million in salary cap room this season to play with, according to NFLPA records, and they'll get another $5 million thanks to the Bridgewater trade. They are also projected to have a ton of salary cap space again next offseason. According to overthecap.com, they could have $81 million under a $190 million cap.
So Mack is affordable for them. But does it make sense to pay him all that money and give up multiple high draft picks too? They certainly wouldn't deal for him as a one-year rental. Also, according to some NFL scouts, next year's draft is rich in pass rushers. With a first-round pick, or maybe even the extra third they acquired for Bridgewater, maybe they could find the edge rusher they need at a fraction of the cost.
Hoping that a young player from the draft will turn out to be Mack is a lot to ask, of course. Mack is 27 years old and coming off three straight seasons of double-digit sacks (36 ½ total). Put him right behind or right next to Jets defensive end Leonard Williams, and the Jets would suddenly have the potential for a dominant pass rush for years.
But the price for that will be extraordinarily high -- and that's only if the Raiders decide to deal him at all.