The New York Jets go to the podium twice within the first five picks of the current draft
Losses on both sides of the country proved beneficial to the future of the New York Jets on Sunday.
If the 2022 NFL draft took place on Monday, the Jets (2-8), losers of a 24-17 divisional decision to Miami on Sunday at home, would come to the podium twice over the first five picks.
New York’s regularly scheduled pick lands in the second overall slot, behind only the winless Detroit Lions (0-9-1). Another selection, this one gleaned from the Seattle Seahawks (3-7) rounds out the top five.
Should things stand the way they are, the Jets would have two top-five picks for the first time in franchise history. Their current highest second selection in franchise history is 13th, a spot they landed in during the 2000 (John Abraham) and 2013 (Sheldon Richardson) drafts.
With their two-win mark, the Jets are currently ensnared in a three-way logjam for the No. 2 pick, united in ineptitude with Jacksonville and Houston. The Jets currently own the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker over the two AFC South teams.
The Jamal Adams trade, which sent Seattle’s 2021 first-round pick to the east coast, continues to allow the Jets to enjoy a bit of gridiron schadenfreude as their own 2021 season spirals into football oblivion. Seattle has continued to tumble despite the return of injured franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, having dropped five of their past six games.
Sunday’s events saw the Seahawks drop a division contest of their own, as they fell by a 23-13 decision to the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals, who were missing the services of quarterback Kyler Murray.
An Adams penalty played an unfortunate role in creating the final margin. With Arizona lead 16-13 with just over two minutes remaining, the Seahawks appeared to have successfully held the red zone-invading Cardinals to a field goal attempt via an incompletion on third down.
But an Adams pass interference penalty on a pass intended for Zach Ertz gave the leaders an automatic first down, upon which James Connor put in the sealing score that created the final margin.
The Jets’ hold on the No. 2 pick has a chance to loosen next weekend. They’re set to battle the aforementioned Texans in a battle of two-win teams on Sunday at NRG Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Seattle, on the other hand, will partake in next week’s Monday nighter against the Washington Football Team (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
