NY Jets’ 2022 draft picks improve significantly after Sunday’s results

The New York Jets enjoyed a flawless bye week

New York Jets fans are invested in three professional football teams this season: the Jets, whoever is playing the Seattle Seahawks, and whoever is playing the Carolina Panthers.

Week 6 provided an undefeated Sunday for the Gotham Green trio.

With the Jets on their bye in Week 6, fans had a chance to sit back and root against the Panthers and Seahawks in hopes of improving New York’s 2022 draft position. Joe Douglas‘ team owns Seattle’s 2022 first-round pick through the Jamal Adams trade and Carolina’s 2022 second and fourth-round picks through the Sam Darnold trade.

The day started with a bang as the Minnesota Vikings marched into Charlotte and took a 34-28 overtime victory over Darnold and the Panthers, staving off a game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown drive by Darnold.

Despite the comeback, it was a rough day for the former Jets passer, who went 17-of-41 for 207 yards, one touchdown, and one interception with four sacks and a lost fumble.

Former Jets wideout Robby Anderson also had a brutal day, mustering up three catches for 11 yards on 11 targets. He had three drops.

Capping off the Sunday slate was a western Pennsylvania battle between Geno Smith’s Seahawks and Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers. Smith led a comeback to force overtime after the Seahawks faced a 14-0 halftime deficit, but Pittsburgh took the victory on a Chris Boswell kick after a Smith fumble set the Steelers up in field goal range.

Smith went 23-for-32 with 209 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions, five sacks, and a lost fumble in the defeat.

The losses by Carolina and Seattle have the Jets sitting pretty in the 2022 draft picture.

Seattle’s second consecutive loss dropped them to 2-4, pushing their first-round pick up to 10th overall as of the morning of Oct. 18. The Jets’ own first-round pick sits in the sixth slot, giving the Jets a pair of top-10 picks as things currently stand.

The Panthers’ third consecutive loss has them at 3-3. Their second-round pick leaped up to the No. 46 overall slot, placing 14th in the round.

With the Jets’ own second-round pick situated at 38th overall (sixth in the round), New York currently possesses four of the draft’s first 46 selections.

Here is a look at the Jets’ hoard of 2022 picks and the current projected positioning of those picks based on the league standings on Oct. 18:

• Round 1: #6 overall
• Round 1: #10 overall (via Seattle; Jamal Adams trade)
• Round 2: #38 overall
• Round 2: #46 overall (via Carolina; Sam Darnold trade)
• Round 3: #70 overall
• Round 4: #119 overall (via Carolina; Sam Darnold trade)
• Round 4: #122 overall (via Minnesota; Chris Herndon trade)
• Round 5: #148 overall
• Round 5: #162 overall (via Pittsburgh; Avery Williamson trade)
• Round 6: #207 overall (via Tampa Bay; Steve McLendon trade)

The Jets have 10 picks in the 2022 draft, including four of their own and six from other teams.

Three of the Jets’ picks are outgoing. New York sent its fourth-round pick to Seattle in the Adams trade. The Jets’ sixth-round pick is owed the Vikings through the Herndon trade. Their seventh-round pick traveled with Williamson to Pittsburgh.

Things are trending up for the Jets’ two incoming premium picks. Carolina has the league’s 10th-most difficult remaining schedule, with its final 11 opponents combining for a win percentage of .532. Seattle ranks one spot behind the Panthers with a .531 mark.

The Jets have the league’s sixth-easiest remaining schedule with a combined record of .435. Five of their next seven games are against teams that have a losing record.