The Indianapolis Colts already declared themselves sellers before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline, and now football fans are wondering which struggling team might be next.
The New York Jets, who share the Colts’ 2-5 record, are among the teams with intriguing veterans they could trade.
Among them, star receiver Garrett Wilson, who has long been a bright light on what seems to be a constant overcast for the franchise that owns the longest active playoff drought in professional sports — 15 seasons.
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During a media gathering ahead of the Jets’ Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson was asked once again about trade rumors involving himself before the deadline.
He made it clear he has no desire to be traded, but he’s also not happy with the losing culture that he hasn’t been able to escape since the Jets took him 10th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
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“Yeah, I want to be here, man,” he told reporters, via ESPN. “I want to win games and that’s the one thing we’ve been missing on here. I love it here. Do I love it more than I love winning? Nah, to be completely honest, but I’m hopeful.
“I’ve never been the best optimistic guy, but I’ve found a way and dug deep, and I’ve been optimistic for three, four, five years now. And that’s why these [losses] each weekend hurt a little more.”
The questions to Wilson came after he was noticeably frustrated on the Jets’ sideline during their 28-25 loss to the Miami Dolphins, who picked up their first win of the season. Wilson had only seen three targets from quarterback Geno Smith, hauling in two for 26 yards. The week prior, Wilson had four catches for 44 yards against the New England Patriots.
But just over a year ago, Wilson cashed in on a four-year, $130 million contract that keeps him locked in with the Jets through 2030. As such, his price tag for a potential trade would be quite high.
Then again, the Jets have proven to deal first-round talent after doing so last season amid a fire sale of their own. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams landed with the Dallas Cowboys, while cornerback Sauce Gardner was dealt to the Colts, which came right after he signed his four-year, $120 million extension.
Simply put, nobody’s safe on a struggling roster. And Wilson may want to stay put, but his frustration is building as the Jets continue to lose.
Since he joined the Jets, Wilson has seen his team go 24-51, going no better than 7-10 in a single season.
“I’d be lying if I said it’s not,” Wilson said about the compounding losses and lack of getting targets in some games leading to frustration, “but at the end of the day it comes down to … winning and losing. Throughout my experience, when things go right, I tend to have a part in that. And when it doesn’t, it seems avoidable.
“That’s my main frustration that may show on the TV or something like that. But I don’t want it to ever be misconstrued. This all comes from a place in my heart of wanting to win. I’m biased, but it also comes from experience where I played my part in that.”