The New York Jets needed someone to step up with Garrett Wilson being placed on injured reserve. Instead, their new pass catcher, Adonai Mitchell, stepped back against the New England Patriots.
Mitchell was targeted six times, but he only came down with one reception for 10 yards. “He dropped two passes, including a deep ball on [Christian] Gonzalez that would’ve gone for at least 40 yards,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared on Sunday, November 16.
It was a disappointing debut in a lot of ways for the 23-year-old wide receiver who was acquired in the blockbuster trade for Sauce Gardner. However, there were also flashes of why the Jets demanded he was in the deal in the first place.
“Mitchell ranked 1st in the NFL in Average Separation Score heading into Week 10 of the 2024 season, with a score of 0.667 after Week 1 (minimum 15 routes) and 0.360 through early October,” per Pro Football Focus. “[Average Seperation Score] measures a receiver’s ability to create space from defenders across all routes run, not just targeted plays. His consistently high ASS underscores his elite separation ability.”
That was on full display against New England in Week 11.
Mitchell Will Be One of the Top Players to Watch for the Rest of 2025
The Jets have seven games left in their 2025 regular season.
Mitchell might have had a bad debut, but that won’t stop the coaching staff from feeding him the ball.
“Listen, he is a big, fast — he is going to be a good player for us. I mean, he missed some balls today, I think we all saw that — him being here for two weeks and having truly a week of going out there and practicing, we gotta get him back out there and do more, but I think he will tell you himself that he has to make some of those plays that were thrown to him. We gotta try and do a better job of getting him open also,” head coach Aaron Glenn explained after the game.
To his credit, Mitchell took full accountability after the game.
“If I could really pinpoint anything,” Mitchell told Cimini, “I’d point the finger at myself and say, ‘I need to perform better.’”
The Jets Have No Choice and It’s an Important Question to Answer
One reason Mitchell will continue to get looks is because well someone has to. The Jets are lacking in options at pass catcher after a variety of injuries. So in a way, the team has no choice.
Beyond that, Mitchell is a former second-round pick, a top 60 talent in the draft, who has obvious skills and traits. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and weighs 205 pounds, per the Jets’ official roster sheet. Mitchell ran a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash during the pre-draft process.
Wilson being out of the lineup is a unique opportunity to use that target share to properly evaluate what else you have in the room. One of the top needs for the Jets heading into the offseason is finding a legitimate receiver next to Wilson.
Maybe they can answer that question in the final seven games of this season instead of having to acquire one from outside the building.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jets Still Plan on Feeding New Pass Catcher After Lackluster Debut vs. Pats appeared first on Heavy Sports.