The New York Jets have traded for left guard Kelechi Osemele, following their pattern of acquiring veteran offensive lineman to fill holes on the line. The Jets will send a fifth-rounder in exchange for Osemele and a sixth-round pick through Chicago.
It was expected that the Raiders were planning to cut the veteran guard this offseason anyway, so at the very least they moved up from a sixth to a fifth rounder.
Not curious about terms anymore. The #Raiders will get a fifth-round pick for Osemele. Along with Osemele, the Jets get the Raiders sixth-round pick through Chicago. Considering they were considering releasing Osemele, a fifth better than nothing.
— Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) March 10, 2019
A day after Oakland traded for Antonio Brown – giving up a third and fifth round pick, they made this move, which benefits the Jets in the short term.
How did the former Pro Bowl guard perform in 2018?
Osemele had a porous 2018 season, finishing with a 53.7 grade and ranking as the #61 guard in the NFL, according to PFF. His struggles will hopefully be elevated with better offensive weapons and a more committed locker room. He will earn $10.2 million and $11.7 million over the next two seasons, as he replaced James Carpenter on the line.
This is a high-priced move for the Jets, but they are in dire need of support on the line, especially when it comes to their young franchise quarterback, Sam Darnold.
I expect the Jets to make a splash in free agency and in the 2019 NFL draft in an attempt to bolster the offense and add significant pieces. Building around Darnold must be the priority moving forward.
The trade cannot become official until Wednesday, but the two teams have an agreement in place that will send the 30-year-old to New York. With a tight offensive guard market, this was a win-win for both teams.