New York Jets roster cutdown: 3 bargain trade candidates

With the third and final preseason game on deck for NFL teams this week and roster cutdown day right around the corner, general managers will clearly be on high alert. 

Why, you ask? In the words of the great Monty Hall, “let’s make a deal!”

Last summer, Jets general manager Darren Mougey made two very effective trades following that blueprint, landing defensive tackles Jowon Briggs and Harrison Phillips in exchange for late-round draft capital. Both additions proved to be highly beneficial.

While the Jets’ roster doesn’t have as many openings as it did last year, the team could still take advantage of players being shopped this time of year.

Here are three potential trade candidates the Jets should be monitoring as cutdown day approaches.

Luke Wypler, OL, Cleveland Browns

Luke Wypler, a sixth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2023 NFL draft, was viewed as a Day 3 offensive lineman with legitimate upside to develop into a starting-caliber player if placed in the right environment.

Newsflash: Cleveland was not the best place for him to develop.

As a modern-day center, Wypler is considered undersized at 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, but he makes up for it using lateral speed and an understanding of leverage and angles to beat defenders rather than brute power. 

Wypler gets out of his stance fast and moves extremely well. He executes on reach blocks very well and can move up to the second level with ease. Overall, his athleticism is highly impressive, posting a 9.30 RAS (Relative Athletic Score).

His quickness helps him recover if he gets pushed, and his natural leverage helps him stay square against defenders inside. That kind of athleticism is great for today’s high-tempo NFL offenses.

At the end of the day, Wypler was a sixth-round selection for a reason. There is no doubt that he needs to improve in certain areas.  

Wypler is not the type of center who runs people over; there is very little displacement of the defenders on head-to-head or down blocks. Strong defensive linemen can push Wypler around, making it hard for him to anchor down and set his hips to maintain blocks. 

The 2025 numbers show this mix of skills. According to Pro Football Focus, Wypler played 271 snaps in 2025 while earning a 74.3 pass blocking grade, though his run blocking mark was far from solid at 46.0. He also struggled with penalties, getting flagged six times throughout the season.

After Cleveland revamped their offensive line this offseason with the additions of four new starters via both the draft and free agency, it appears that Wypler could become expendable

The Ohio State product is only 25 years old and in the final year of his rookie contract. For a Jets team that lacks established interior offensive line depth, he could fit.

With three-position versatility on the interior, Wypler would be an instant upgrade to the Jets’ IOL depth, automatically usurping both Kohl Levao and Xavier Newman.

Javon Solomon, EDGE, Buffalo Bills

Javon Solomon was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2024 draft and entered the league with one of the most productive college pass-rush games in the country.

Solomon is not a typical NFL edge rusher. Instead, his game is built on quickness, leverage, and effort rather than traditional size and power.

In his first two NFL seasons, Solomon saw time in 31 games.  During his rookie campaign in 2024, the Troy product recorded three sacks while playing in a depth role. 

However, despite an uptick in defensive snaps, his performance declined significantly in 2025.

According to PFF, he finished the season with an overall defensive grade of 42.7, a pass-rush grade of 51.8, and a run-defense mark of 46.5 on 195 snaps, compared to the 135 he played during his rookie season.

Now, the Bills are crowded at the position entering 2026 with the additions of Bradley Chubb and T.J. Parker this offseason, along with Michael Hoecht returning to full strength.

The obvious concern with Solomon is his lack of size & length.  He only weighs 246 pounds at 6-foot-2.  This limitation has been on full display in his run defense, as he has struggled to shed blockers and finish his run fits, evidenced by his rough PFF run-defense grade.

So, the hard truth is, Solomon is unlikely ever to be a full-time NFL defensive end and is best suited as a situational pass-rusher and attacker in obvious passing situations. 

That shouldn’t dissuade the Jets from going after Solomon, though. As we’ve seen firsthand, good DPR’s can be very valuable. He still has two years left on his rookie contract, meaning the Jets would be taking on a manageable contract.

While the Jets’ EDGE room is competitive, Solomon’s name is one to monitor as cutdown day approaches.

Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Tennessee Titans

Despite going unrafted, Mohamoud Diabate has carved out a role as a rotational player in the NFL.

Before joining the Tennessee Titans this offseason, he appeared in 46 games and had 17 starts throughout three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

Over that span, he logged 112 total tackles (60 solo, 8.0 for loss), one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Impressive numbers to say the least, especially for a UDFA.

Diabate is best defined as a truly versatile, multi-faceted linebacker. He also has experience playing both inside and outside, in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 front, which is valuable for the Jets as the team’s defense will be “multiple,” according to Aaron Glenn.

Standing 6-foot-4 and roughly 235 pounds, Diabate is long and rangy.  He plays best when he can attack downhill and use his football instincts to diagnose plays and attack the line of scrimmage. 

He has good range to cover ground and tracks both ball carriers and quarterbacks well, sideline-to-sideline and up the field. He is a physical presence, whether he is thumping runners in the hole or shedding defenders, and he knows how to use his length to his advantage

One of the main areas for concern in Diabate’s game, though, lies in pass coverage, earning a 51.3 coverage grade at PFF for the 2025 season. He’s also struggled as a tackler, owning a 13.2% missed tackle rate in 2025 (seven missed attempts) and a whopping 20.0% mark in 2024 with 17 misses.

That is where the value of his situational linebacker play comes into play. He can be used as a downhill linebacker on early downs to stop the run and can see time in coverage packages when needed.

For the Jets, the value is simple. Diabate would most likely slide in as the Jets’ LB3 and the main backup MLB behind 37-year-old Demario Davis. 

With Jamien Sherwood coming off a disappointing 2025 season and the Jets having the ability to get out of his contract next offseason, a player like Diabate makes sense for the squad.

Behind Sherwood and Davis, the Jets lack an established LB3, with Kiko Mauigoa and Mykal Walker each currently vying for the role.

While the Titans signed Diabate to add depth to their linebacker room, they have seen success from multiple contributors this summer, including Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, James Williams, and Anthony Hill Jr., all of whom have the potential to be starters. 

He was omitted from ESPN’s 53-man roster projection for the Titans, indicating that he isn’t a roster lock due to the strong play at the position throughout the offseason.

If Diabate ultimately becomes available, the Jets should make a call to Tennessee at the very least.