The 2025 NFL season is officially underway, as free agency started over a week ago.
The New York Jets made some moves, most notably signing quarterback Justin Fields and extending linebacker Jamien Sherwood. However, the Jets still have plenty of holes to fill—particularly a desperate position of need that has been a serious bugaboo for years.
Yes, the New York Jets can improve tight end, and do so without the NFL draft.
Tight end talent is required
New York signed Stone Smartt and has fourth-year player Jeremy Ruckert rostered. They have less than 650 career yards between them over three seasons, and the need becomes highlighted when projecting the team’s Justin Fields-highlighted offense.
Plus, the position just fits the offensive coaching staff, specifically offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, and offensive line coach Steve Heiden.
The Detroit Lions had at least one tight end play over 86% of snaps in 2024. Considering the usage, the Jets need an upgrade at TE1 and depth.
Thankfully, the 2025 NFL draft is loaded with tight end talent. ESPN has two tight ends ranked as top-10 prospects and seven in the top 100.
The Jets could sign one still and should most certainly draft one. While the Jets have been heavily connected to Penn State’s Tyler Warren, they can just as easily go a different route.
With free agency mostly dried up, the Jets can look to the trade market instead.
Consider trading for Noah Fant or Dallas Goedert
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant and Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert have both been rumored as trade-block options. Both are highly regarded but have seen their production decline in the last two seasons.
Obviously, and perhaps sadly, each player represents significant upgrades when evaluating the Jets’ current tight end room.
Fant will turn 28 during the 2025 season and would be an intriguing target for the Jets. Darren Mougey knows Fant from his time in Denver, yet he also included him in the ill-fated Russel Wilson trade.
Here’s the rub: Since joining the Seahawks, Fant has failed to surpass his production in Denver despite improvements as a blocker.
Goedert, on the other hand, is on the wrong side of 30. He’s seen his production decline the last two seasons, although a lot of it should not be attributed to him. He has seen his role shrink with the addition of A.J. Brown and the growth of DeVonta Smith.
Either would be an immediate upgrade, and I can reasonably believe the Jets will get a better version of the player in 2025.
Goedert missed time with injuries in 24 but was sixth among tight ends in yards per game (49.6). Meanwhile, Fant averaged over 635 yards a season in Denver and is still young enough to get back to that level.
Is a trade worth it for the NY Jets?
Is it worth trading for either player? Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News believes the Jets should stay put and focus on the draft.
There is plenty of truth to this belief.
The draft is stacked with talent at tight end, and the Jets could potentially use the seventh overall pick to address the need. Not to mention, both tight ends could potentially be released as teams look to clear cap space.
The Jets certainly can and should draft a tight end, but it’s unlikely to snag an instant-impact player unless one is selected in the top 50.
The 2025 tight end draft class has been compared to 2022, which was notably deep.
Five tight ends have eclipsed 1250 career yards in that class, and four were drafted in the fourth round. Considering Goedert’s asking price has been reported as a fourth-round pick, the Jets could opt to take a shot in the draft.
However, not a single tight end drafted after the fourth round has eclipsed 450 career yards over three seasons. Looking at the last 10 drafts, the most notable tight ends drafted in Round 5 or later are George Kittle, Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, and Jesse James. While Kittle is excellent, four tight ends over ten years and dozens of picks is not an encouraging success rate.
Teams rarely get what they’re asking for in trades, and the strong draft class will further deflate their value. For a late Day 3 pick, the Jets can get an impact player at a position of need.
Then again, trading veteran players is never just about production. As everything does, it comes down to the money.
Goedert has a cap hit of $11.81 million (the 10th-highest cap hit among tight ends in 2025), and Fant is at $13.41 million (the eighth highest). Meanwhile, Juwan Johnson and Evan Engram signed similarly priced deals.
It’s unlikely the Jets will commit that much to either player, so a new contract is paramount for a trade to occur.
Mougey was on the right side—and the Jets on the wrong—in a similar trade with John Franklin-Myers last year. He was a good player, but the Jets offloaded him due to contractual concerns.
The Broncos sent a sixth and signed Myers to a reduced contract, who responded by playing like a top-10 interior defensive lineman.
Can Darren Mougey repeat history? If so, he can drastically change the New York Jets’ tight end fortunes.
