Malachi Corley‘s time with the Jets is coming to an end. The 2024 third-rounder is among New York’s roster cuts, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.
This will bring a quick end to Corley’s Big Apple tenure. The move also comes despite the Jets still carrying considerable questions at receiver beyond Garrett Wilson. But Corley was drafted by the Joe Douglas regime. The Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn power structure has seen enough, evidently.
The Jets drafted Corley 65th overall last year, having traded up (via the Panthers) for the shifty prospect. But Corley produced a three-catch, 16-yard rookie season. The Western Kentucky prospect did not impress during Aaron Rodgers‘ season as the team’s starter, and his most memorable Jets sequence came when he dropped the ball before the goal line to deny the Jets a touchdown on a reverse during a nationally televised game.
Corley, 23, has three years left on his rookie contract. A claiming team would have Corley on a $1MM 2025 base salary. Even with Corley faceplanting in New York, it would not surprise to see a claim due to his draft status barely a year ago. Although the Jets carry significant questions about their Wilson sidekick contingent, Corley entered training camp uncertain to make the roster.
Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson and Tyler Johnson are among the players presently rounding out the Jets’ receiving corps. This creates natural concerns about the passing game’s viability in Justin Fields‘ first season, especially considering the new quarterback’s issues as a passer to date. But the Jets will pass on a second Corley season anyway.
Not only a one and done third rounder, but they traded up to get him too. What a whiff. And they could have taken an actual receiver like Jalen McMillan.
It’s possible Corley could still turn into something, but this is another gadget-y receiver reminder that for every Deebo Samuel, there are a whole lot of Laviska Shenaults and Lynn Bowdens.
The Jets should just stop wasting high picks on receivers, Denzel Mims didn’t exactly pan out either. Arian Smith might work out for them, but he was a 4th rounder. If they want to do a proper rebuild, draft at the positions they’re good at drafting at, and sign free agents at the positions where they’ve drafted busts.
Garrett Wilson worked out pretty well. It’s stupid to not draft guys at high value positions just because previous regimes had busts. You still need to look for receivers on rookie contracts.
I mean Mims was a Mac pick and Corley was a Douglas pick. Realllly not sure why you think two other regimes missing on a WR pick means anything for this brand new regime.
Scouts are overrated. The drop the ball 90% of the time
Player evaluation is hard. No one is going to bat a thousand. Doing it without scouts–or too few–wouldn’t help anything.
It’s not just wide receivers they’re bad at drafting, quarterbacks don’t do well after being drafted by the Jets until they escape. Since 2006 they’ve had Kellen Clemens, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Christian Hackenburg, Sam Darnold, & Zach Wilson, and so far only two of them rebounded elsewhere. I could probably find trouble spots like this on every team, even my Packers have a bad history with first round defensive backs (Ahmad Carroll, Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, Damarious Randall, Jaire Alexander, & Eric Stokes). Xavier McKinney was their best free agent signing in years. Just sign players for the spots you know you’re not good at drafting at, and draft what you’re good at. Even the Jets could eventually fix themselves this way.