A day after criticizing the Jets’ wide receivers, coach Adam Gase went out and brought in a receiver he knows well.
The Jets acquired veteran receiver Demaryius Thomas from the Patriots in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick, according to a source.
The trade is shocking because of the teams who made it. The Jets and Patriots had not made a trade since Bill Belichick bolted New York for Foxborough in 2000. Technically, the last trade the teams made was for Belichick, when the Jets received a first-round pick in exchange for the coach.
This time it did not cost the Jets as much. Thomas is a player Gase knows well from their time together with the Broncos. Gase was Thomas’ receivers coach from 2010-12 and then the offensive coordinator in Denver from 2013-14.
Thomas is now 31 years old and has lost a step from those days, but clearly Gase feels like he can get something out of him. Thomas signed with the Patriots in April but spent most of his time recovering from the season-ending torn Achilles tendon injury he suffered last year.
The four-time Pro Bowler only played in one preseason game for New England after being activated off the physically unable to perform list. He had seven catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants backups in the fourth preseason game. He then had a hamstring injury and did not play in New England’s Week 1 win over the Steelers.Thomas became expendable after the Patriots’ receivers room got crowded quickly. The team signed Antonio Brown this week to go along with Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman.
Thomas brings a $2.9 million salary-cap figure with him.
Jets receivers other than Jamison Crowder did not have a good day on Sunday against the Bills. Crowder finished with 14 catches for 99 yards, catching all underneath stuff. Deep-threat Robby Anderson only had three catches for 23 yards and Gase was unhappy with him for stopping his route on a deep pass late in the game. Quincy Enunwa had just one catch for a 4-yard loss. He was targeted three times.