The secondary of the New York Jets last season was not very good. All NFL fans know this by now and they know it's one of the reasons why New York went out and splurged on cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in free agency. What fans may have forgotten is that 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner was expected to man one of those CB spots when the Jets originally drafted him. But a season-ending injury last year has changed Milliner's outlook in the Big Apple.
"The Daily News has learned that teams have made trade inquiries about [Milliner] in the wake of the cornerback upgrades," Manish Mehta wrote.
"On the surface, Milliner, who is rehabbing a season-ending torn Achilles tendon he suffered five months ago, appears expendable. His extensive injury history couples with the new additions in the secondary prompted some teams to think that they could acquire him on the cheap.
"However, the Jets have told interested teams that Milliner isn't available at a drastically discounted price...yet, according to sources."
New general manager Mike Maccagnan has no ties to Milliner and wouldn't be blamed if he explored what type of value he could get in return for a young yet injury-prone player. That doesn't necessarily mean the team is ready to deal him right away, but a move down the road is possible.
Milliner, who was considered the top cornerback in the 2013 draft class, has missed 16 games through his first two years due to four separate injuries. He also underwent five surgeries while at Alabama.
"Three front-office executives of cornerback-needy teams told The News that Milliner's unclear health status following his latest setback coupled with his $971,000 preseason roster bonus will make it virtually impossible for Maccagnan to trade him unless he's willing to take a mid- to late-round pick in return," Mehta wrote.
New York seems to be opting for the most prudent option in this scenario: patience. The Jets reportedly want to see what Milliner can do once fully healthy before making a definitive decision on his future. It's possible that despite his injury-riddled history, the skilled 23-year-old can still be a productive player for the Jets. It's also possible that his body simply won't stand up to the everyday rigors of the NFL. But with new head coach Todd Bowles running a cornerback heavy defensive scheme, it's best for Gang Green to wait and find out.
"Bowles' reliance on defensive backs turned the Cardinals defense into the most aggressive unit in the league the past two seasons," Mehta wrote. "Bowles used six defensive backs about half the time (555 snaps) last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Cardinals had six or more defensive backs on the filed for an eye-opening 619 snaps. Bowled had six or more defensive backs on the field more than twice as often as four or fewer."
