Joe Douglas’ complex Jets legacy filled with highs and low lows

A look back at the best and worst moves by Jets general manager Joe Douglas, who was fired Tuesday:

Highs

Trades of Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold

Douglas’ wheeling and dealing of the two former first-round picks ended up delivering a haul that ended up being more impactful than anyone had envisioned.

The picks the Jets ended up receiving in each deal provided Douglas with ample supply to continue to maneuver in the 2021 and 2022 drafts.

2022 NFL Draft

The 2022 draft proved to be Douglas’ best of his six-year tenure with the Jets.

He took cornerback Sauce Gardner fourth overall; added receiver Garrett Wilson with the 10th overall pick, which the Jets received in the Adams trade with Seattle; and took running back Breece Hall with the No. 36 pick, received from the Giants, thanks in part to the second-round pick from the Panthers in the Darnold trade.

Joe Douglas was fired by the Jets on Tuesday. Bill Kostroun/New York Post

Signing of DJ Reed

The corner has been a bright spot for the Jets this season after Douglas signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal in 2022.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Colts, Reed had allowed fewer than 30 yards in six games, aside from meetings with the Bills and Houston, and recorded his first sack since 2018.

cornerback D.J. Reed (4) breaks up a pᴀss intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman — D.J. Reed breaks up a pᴀss intended for Keon Coleman during the Jets’ loss to the Bills earlier in the season. Bill Kostroun/New York Post

Lows

Zach Wilson

The BYU product is one of the biggest stains on Douglas’ Jets tenure.

The No. 2 overall pick in 2021 had three tumultuous seasons in New York, was benched three separate times, and accumulated a 12-21 record.

Zach Wilson struggled during his time with the Jets. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Big misses

For as good as Douglas’ drafting was in 2022, he missed on a number of high picks in other years, including Mekhi Becton (first round, 2020), Denzel Mims (second round, 2020) and Elijah Moore (second round, 2021).

Becton was plagued by injuries during his Jets tenure and Mims and Moore both requested trades during their time in New York.

Failing to have a quality backup for Aaron Rodgers

Douglas and the Jets went all-in on Rodgers in 2023, but a season-ending injury four plays into the first game of the season put Wilson back in the starter role.

What transpired was a debacle that led to Gang Green turning to Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian under center with no other options after it became clear Wilson wasn’t going to cut it.