Here are three teams who should go all in on trading for Garrett Wilson from the Jets.
Though the 2025 NFL offseason hasn't even technically started yet, one of the biggest storylines fans in the AFC North are monitoring is the potential availability of star Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who hasn't outright requested a trade away from New York but has come darn close.
That's right, after watching his usage rate drop steadily following the mid-season acquisition of Aaron Rodgers favorite DaVante Adams, the pride of Ohio State is widely expected to request a move this offseason, with ESPN's Rich Cimini getting that ball rolling with a tidbit about the wide receiver camp back in December.
“I’ve talked to people in Garrett Wilson’s circle, no I want to emphasize this, this is speculation on their part, they think he will ask for a trade after the season,” Cimini said on Flight Deck. “Again, speculative, but people who know him, we don't know that as a fact, but it's certainly something to keep an eye on.”
Now granted, when Cimini made that report, the Jets still technically had hope, with the team securing their fourth win of the season over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. While they weren't going to close out the season with a playoff berth, as a 7-10 record in the AFC East wasn't going to cut it any which way the season broke, they still could have taken some pride in going down swinging, with a chance to do some damage in 2025 with the right coaching staff assembled around their stars. Instead, Wilson closed out the season with four straight games with less than 67 passing yards, with the Pro Bowler failing to receive more than eight targets in any of the games.
While only time will tell how the offseason shakes out for the Jets, from who will be under center in Week 1 to how the rest of their offseason shakes out, if Wilson does decide to make good on the speculation and request a trade, it's safe to say there will be plenty of teams across the NFL who could be interested in his services, including a few who would likely pay a very pretty penny to bring him to town.
3 best trade destinations for Garrett Wilson
1. The Pittsburgh Steelers
Now, on paper, the Pittsburgh Steelers are about as dysfunctional as the Jets, with no clarity under center, changes expected at multiple key positions, and a wide receiver of their own who could be on the move based on his end-of-season comments in George Pickens, who isn't quite Garrett Wilson but is no slouch either.
So, assuming Wilson – Russell, not Garrett – opts to re-join his former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas, throwing the ball for Chip Kelly's offense as a member of the Raiders, and the Steelers opt to re-sign Justin Fields as their starter in 2025, the Steelers would be in prime position to take BPA in the 2025 NFL Draft, be that a quarterback like Jaxson Dart, an edge rusher like Marshall's Mike Green, or even Ohio State stalwart Emeka Egbuka, right?
Sure, all of those players are potentially in play, but considering what Wilson has done at the NFL level, why would the Steelers bet on his college teammate's upside when they could acquire the genuine article with the very same pick?
Granted, Wilson would need a new contract to justify any deal, one that would likely begin with a three and end with seven zeros per season at the bare minimum, but the Steelers really haven't had a true difference-maker at the position since Antonio Brown, with each subsequent option falling apart for one reason or another.
With Diontae Johnson widely expected to return to Pittsburgh in 2025 after bouncing around the NFL and more or less tanking his future value, why not package pick 23 and Pickens and ship them off to the Jets for Wilson, with some additional draft compensation thrown in to even the scales one way or the other? Wilson is a top-5 wide receiver, can make nothing into something with his incredible set of skills, and, most importantly of all, he actually played with Fields at Ohio State, where he hauled in more than 50 balls and 1,000 yards with Pittsburgh's quarterback.
Could Wilson unlock Fields' NFL potential on a contract worth more than the quarterback demands on the open market? Maybe yes, maybe no, but after watching quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts earn incredible success with the same strategy, Pittsburgh would be wise to give Fields the best possible chance of success with his own nine-figure wide receiver with schematic versatility.
2. The Washington Commanders
After being very much in on the Brandon Aiyuk sweepstakes that ultimately wasn't, the Washington Commanders turned in a season for the ages with Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels under center, with the team going from picking second in the 2024 NFL Draft to finishing second in the NFC after a fairytale playoff run that saw them knock off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions.
And the best part? With Daniels playing for peanuts over the next three seasons plus a fifth-year option in the year after, the team has the potential to capitalize on an artificially deflated asset by ponying up big money at other positions across the roster, including another big-money wide receiver to play opposite Terry McLaurin in the always competitive NFC East.
Now, does Garrett Wilson come with the same history with Daniels that Aiyuk presented? No. But is Wilson a better player than Aiyuk? Yes, he'd be right up there with AJ Brown, Malik Nabers, and CeeDee Lamb as the best wide receivers in the NFC East, with fans getting to jockey the quartet for positions based on their individual preferences.
If the Commanders are willing to give Wilson a contract in the realm of $100 million over three years, they should also be willing to give up their first-round pick plus a Day 2 asset – again, plus or minus – to guarantee that Daniels has the best possible collection of playmakers to throw to in 2025 and beyond.
3. The Las Vegas Raiders
Oh, wouldn't this one be ironic? After trading away Adams to the Jets, the Raiders could use the assets they received from the deal to secure a new WR1.
Unfortunately, it's going to cost a whole lot more than a third-round pick to bring Wilson to town, as his stock remains incredibly high after recording his third-straight 1,000-yard season to start off his career.
With Carroll calling the shots for the Raiders, the team isn't expected to undergo an overlong rebuilding process, with the potential for R. Wilson to join the squad and instantly make them a contender. Still, the idea of using the sixth overall pick on G. Wilson feels rather rich, as the Raiders do have needs all over their roster.
Would a swap of six and seven, plus a future first-round pick and that Jets third-round pick, be enough to get the deal done? It's hard to say, really, but if the Steelers and Commanders bow out, the Raiders make a whole lot more sense than trading him to the New England Patriots, who would happily add a WR1 to pair with Drake Maye moving forward, right? For better or worse, the Adams trade was more or less a bust for the Jets if Rodgers retires, and while shipping Garrett Wilson to Las Vegas would be disappointing, it could help to reload the Jets' cupboard for the Aaron Glenn era that is about to begin in East Rutherford.
