What should the Jets do before Tuesday’s trade deadline?

The Jets have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday to make any sort of move.

The clock is ticking on all 32 NFL teams.

This season’s trade deadline is approaching and will arrive Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Bottom-feeder teams can be sellers in order to gain draft capital while playoff contenders can do the opposite to add talent to their rosters.

The New York Jets are mostly in the former category and could enhance their collection of draft picks for 2022 and beyond. However, they may also take the “buying” route in an attempt to provide rookie quarterback Zach Wilson with another target, which could assist in his crucial development.

What moves should general manager Joe Douglas make ahead of the annual deadline?

How many trades will the #Jets make today? #TakeFlight

— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) November 2, 2021

Trade: Marcus Maye

Whether you like it or not, Marcus Maye‘s tenure in Florham Park is seemingly nearing its conclusion. Douglas showed you he’s not exactly willing to pay a safety big money (SEE: The 2020 trade of Jamal Adams) and Maye’s franchise tag runs out at the end of this season. If the Jets aren’t going to open the wallet and extend him at the end of 2021 (and they might not), they may as well garner draft capital for him at the deadline.

According to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, the Jets are seeking a third-round draft pick at the least for Maye. The team is reportedly open to dealing him and teams have shown interest in the fifth-year safety.

If the Jets aren’t going to be a playoff contender (don’t let Sunday’s win over Cincinnati fool you — it was just one win), they may as well look to the future.

Trading Maye would help them do just that.

Trade: Jamison Crowder 

Jamison Crowder sort of descended the depth chart a little bit this year with the additions of Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and Keelan Cole. Prior to the regular season, the Jets were willing to restructure his contract (and did so), proving they didn’t value him exactly like they used to.

However, Crowder can still ball in this league and would be a reliable No. 2 or 3 receiver on a playoff contender. Jamison caught eight balls for 84 yards against the Bengals on Sunday — these are numbers that could enhance his last-minute trade value.

While the Jets may only earn back, say, a fifth-round draft pick for Crowder at the absolute best, it may still be worth it considering the alternative options they have on the roster. Given the contract restructure and various offseason acquisitions at the receiver position, you could argue the Jets don’t plan to retain Crowder for 2022 — might as well earn something in return for him now.

Trade for: A tight end

So I’ve suggested a Jets-Giants trade in the past and I promise you it’s not that ridiculous. You may think they’re rivals and shouldn’t do business with one another, but the bottom line is they play once every few years and usually at least one of the teams is average-to-below-average. It isn’t Ravens-Steelers.

Anyway, the Jets should be in the market for a tight end to help Wilson develop, and could give up a fourth- or fifth-round pick for Evan Engram of the Giants.

The Giants might certainly deal Engram ahead of the Tuesday deadline given his on-field mistakes, and there’s a good chance Evan needs a fresh start on a new team in order to unlock his true potential. He could be one of the more versatile and athletic tight ends in the league if used properly — maybe Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is the man for him.

There is an issue though: Engram’s rookie contract is expiring at the end of this year. Trading for him means the Jets would eventually need to sign him to an extension, whether that’s a short-term or long-term deal. Gang Green could always franchise tag him and use the tag as a placeholder to finalize a contract later on — the Giants just did that with former Jet defensive lineman Leonard Williams this past offseason.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY