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Adam Schefter is a senior writer at ESPN
Following the New York Jets’ acquisition of Davante Adams this week, a select group of NFL teams have inquired whether the Jets would be willing to trade fellow star receiver Garrett Wilson, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The Jets have heard from other teams but do not plan to trade Wilson, according to sources.
It’s understandable why teams would reach out to the Jets, who added talent at the wide receiver position in Adams. These teams also know that Wilson will eventually be in line for the type of lucrative contract other receivers have signed in recent months, as the market at the position has exploded.
Teams were willing to try to acquire Wilson with the understanding that they would also be willing to pay for the former first-round draft pick once he became eligible for a new contract. But that seems like a moot point right now, as New York plans to keep Wilson.
Although they are not expected to trade Wilson, the Jets are listening to offers from veteran receiver Mike Williams, according to league sources.
Williams did not practice Wednesday or Thursday for personal reasons, but the eight-year veteran said he expects to play Sunday night against the Steelers.
The Raiders were at one point interested in including Williams in any potential Adams trade — Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco drafted Williams and signed him to an extension during their time together in Los Angeles with the Chargers — but he was not included in the deal. Blockbuster trade completed on Tuesday.
Instead, the Jets kept Williams for now, but it may not be much longer. Two of the teams expected to be interested, according to league sources, are the Steelers and Chargers, where Williams played the first seven years of his career.
The Jets and Steelers have decided to postpone any substantive discussions about Williams until next week, according to league sources.
Neither Williams nor Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich revealed the reason for the receiver’s two-day rest this week. Williams was called by quarterback Aaron Rodgers for going the wrong way on a game-clinching interception in Monday night’s 23-20 loss to the Bills.
The Jets traded for Adams the next day, meaning a reduced role for Williams, who sidestepped a question Friday about whether he wanted to be traded. Williams said he was “excited” to have Adams on the team, and Wilson shared that sentiment, adding that Adams was “one of my favorite players” growing up.
Asked if he was concerned about missing targets, Wilson, the NFL’s most targeted player, said, “No, at the end of the day, if you miss a few targets, that’s OK. I got 22 the other day (in Week 5).” “It doesn’t take much to get to where I want to get to.”
Wilson, the 2022 offensive rookie of the year, has 41 receptions for 399 yards and three touchdowns this season, and Williams has just 10 catches for 145 yards.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.
