The Facts: The Daily News has learned that the Jets covet free agent wide receivers Jeremy Maclin and Emmanuel Sanders with the hope that one or both can help revamp the league's 31st-ranked passing offense from last season.
Diehards Line:Jets receivers were among the league's worst in 2013. Indeed, NFL.com's Chris Wesseling notes that 22 NFL players scored more touchdowns than the entire Jets wide-receiver corps combined in 2013. Daily News staffer Manish Mehta suggests that Geno Smith’s erratic rookie season can be attributed, in part, to the lack of difference makers in the passing game. The team's top four receivers - Santonio Holmes, Jeremy Kerley, David Nelson and Stephen Hill - combined for 126 receptions and 1,744 yards. Cleveland’s Josh Gordon racked up 98 fewer yards all by himself. The organization is fully aware that a change is in order. Holmes isn’t part of the team's future plans. ... For what it's worth, Mehta doesn't expect the Jets to land Eric Decker, the consensus top available wideout, when free agency begins on March 11. Maclin missed the entire 2013 season with the Eagles after tearing his ACL during a training camp practice in late July. His familiarity with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense would make it a seamless transition. However, it’s unclear whether he’ll even hit the open market. ... Stay tuned.