It's not often that you see a front office that's actually far more inept than the Cleveland Browns' in 2024, but a new report from The Athletic has revealed that office - the New York Jets' office, specifically.
Sure, the Browns gave Deshaun Watson one of the worst contracts of all time, and it has completely shut their window for postseason contention unless they hit on multiple draft picks in 2025 and 2026. But, they at least have some semblance of an offense and defense in place, so bringing in a competent quarterback should swing them back in a positive direction.
Read more: Kirk Cousins could be perfect stopgap quarterback option for Browns
Easier said than done, to be sure. But, if there's one thing that's apparent about Cleveland's front office that's worked out swimmingly, it's their big trade for Jerry Jeudy in 2024. Jeudy has slowy but surely become the team's WR1, recording over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career and looking like the first round star that the Denver Broncos thought they drafted in 2020.
Jeudy, however, almost didn't come to Cleveland. Thankfully, because of the Jets' incompetence, he dons brown and orange instead of white and green.
The Athletic reveals that the Jets didn't trade for Jerry Jeudy because of a Madden rating
You read that correctly - the Jets did not go for Jeudy in 2024 because owner Woody Johnson, while being consulted by his teenage sons on numerous Jets happenings, told then-general manager Joe Douglas not to trade for him because of his Madden rating.
Jeudy would currently be the Jets' best receiver, as Garrett Wilson has 933 receiving yards on the year. A tandem of Wilson and Jeudy would have been electric for New York's offense, but instead, they opted against the move because of a video game. Take that for data.
Instead, Cleveland managed to snag Jeudy from the Broncos for a fifth and sixth round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. And now, even with a trade that sent previous WR1 Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills for picks, the Browns have a top receiver in the league.
Cleveland can take all the wins they can take in 2024. So, to see that another teams' front office is somehow less competent than the Browns' is a good sign. Jeudy was the right move to make for the team as they were looking to take a gamble on a young receiver with major upside but with a need for a change in scenery. 2025 and beyond should be special for Jeudy. For the Jets, not so much.