When the New York Jets traded a third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for former All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, many assumed they had surrendered their own third-round selection rather than the pick acquired from the Detroit Lions last April.
With the Jets winning just five games last season, the assumption was that they had given up a top-75 pick for a short-term rental that ultimately didn’t pan out—a move widely criticized as another misstep by the previous regime.
However, that narrative wasn’t accurate.
According to a report from Mike Garafolo, the Jets actually parted with the lower of their two third-round picks, meaning they still retain their original third-round selection, the 73rd overall pick in April’s draft.
“Sources tell The Insiders the pick going from the Raiders to the Seahawks is No. 92 in the third round. If you search for the draft order online, you’ll see the Jets listed as having the 92nd pick. Not correct. It was Vegas’ after the Davante Adams trade and is now Seattle’s,” Garafolo explained on social media. “Which means, by the way, the Jets still hold pick No. 73, which was the one the online draft orders had attributed to the Raiders.”
The distinction between an early third-round selection and a late one is significant. Instead of settling for a depth piece, the Jets could find themselves in a position to draft a high-end prospect, such as a talented wide receiver who unexpectedly falls on draft night.
In hindsight, this makes the Adams trade far less damaging than many initially believed—at least for now.
