A New York Jets trade deadline acquisition is proving his value.
The New York Jets were active at the trade deadline, trading away two of their stars, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. The deals added draft capital and young talent as the Jets continue their rebuild.
While the draft capital was the main value in the Sauce Gardner trade, New York also added wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Mitchell was the second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, the 23-year-old struggled with drops during his time with the Colts.
That was not the case on Sunday, as Mitchell had a breakout performance. He hauled in eight receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Mitchell came down with key catches and was a major contributor for the Jets in their win over the Atlanta Falcons.
New York has been missing a talented wide receiver to put alongside Garrett Wilson. With Wilson out, Mitchell operated as the top weapon, and he lived up to it.
On the season, Mitchell has 20 receptions for 306 yards and a touchdown. If he continues to develop and gets past the drop problems, he could be the long-term wide receiver two next to Wilson.
"He's always known he can play. ... I think his confidence is at an all-time high right now and we're going to try to get him the ball as much as we can," head coach Aaron Glenn said about Mitchell.
While the Jets have yet to find their long-term answer at quarterback, the pieces on offense are starting to fall into place. Wilson is an established young receiver, and other weapons like Mitchell and John Metchie III are showing flashes.
Rookie tight end Mason Taylor is also having a productive season, as he's had 39 receptions for 318 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Breece Hall is talented and could remain a building block for this offense if they re-sign him this offseason.
Darren Mougey has been aggressive in rebuilding the roster his way since he took over as the Jets' general manager this offseason. Acquiring a player like Mitchell in the Gardner trade at the deadline looks like a wise move.