NY Jets could put together juicy trade offer for Jaguars CB CJ Henderson

Are the NY Jets interested in pursuing Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback C.J. Henderson? If they are, they have the means to pull a trade. 

By now, you have probably heard that Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that NFL executives believe Jaguars cornerback C.J. Henderson may be available via trade. The Florida product hasn’t had the best offseason, having missed several training camp practices after being placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list.

More recently, assistant head coach Charlie Strong says the team is working with Henderson and wants to see him succeeded in Jacksonville. Also, the cornerback has been spotted at practice on back-to-back days, so the Jags may end up keeping him. Nevertheless, there’s a good chance other clubs will still inquire about his availability. Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune thinks the New Orleans Saints could be interested in the 2020 first-round selection. This is especially true after cornerback Patrick Robinson announced his retirement.

Another team that may give the Jaguars a call about Henderson is the Jets. They will probably enter the 2021 season with Bryce Hall and Bless Austin as the top corners, so they would surely want to add reinforcements to the secondary.

CJ Henderson would give the NY Jets’ cornerback room a boost.

Paul Andrew Esden Jr. of Heavy reached out to several NFL executives and insiders and came up with five potential trade packages New York could put together. Esden says the Jets’ front office has previously shown willingness to adapt and wouldn’t probably pass up the chance to give their cornerback room a boost. Here are the proposals New York could make to the Jags in exchange for Henderson:

1. WR Jamison Crowder and a 2022 first-round pick
2. TE Chris Herndon, and 2022 second- and fourth-round selections
3. WR Denzel Mims and a 2022 second-round pick
4. A conditional third-round pick in 2022 that can become a fourth or second-rounder depending on playing time incentives
5. EDGE rusher John Franklin-Meyers, a second-round selection in 2022 and a third in 2023.

These are some pretty enticing options. The fact that most of them include a first or second-round selection makes them even more appealing. In particular, the proposal that includes Crowder and a first-round pick stands out.

On the other hand, the Jaguars are loaded at wide receiver, so there might not be room for Crowder or Mims. The same is true for the John Franklin-Meyers. It’s uncertain whether he could crack Jacksonville’s defensive line rotation. Then again, the players would be the icing on the cake, as the selections alone could get a deal done.

Should the Jacksonville Jaguars pull the trigger?

This is not the first time the Jets have been seen as a possible trade partner for Henderson. Anthony Threash of Pro Football Focus also thinks New York makes sense as a potential landing spot for the Jaguars cornerback.

The Jaguars should definitely pick up and listen to any potential offers for Henderson. That doesn’t mean they will agree to a trade. On the other hand, they shouldn’t rule out the possibility of shopping him. For now, it looks like they don’t want to part ways with the sophomore cornerback but if they change their mind, the NY Jets could be open for business.