Robert Saleh, Jets Won't Use Malachi Corley Despite Receiving Struggles

There has been one constant question surrounding the New York Jets offense through the first four games of the 2024 season.

Where the heck is Malachi Corley?

The third-round pick that the Jets front office and coaching staff coveted so much they tried to trade into the second round to get has rarely seen the field in his first four games at the NFL level.

Nicknamed the "YAC King" in college, Corley's run at Western Kentucky has yet to translate to the NFL level. During the Jets' 10-9 stunning loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, though, his absence was even more apparent.

Former undrafted free agent Xavier Gipson remains firmly entrenched in the offense ahead of Corley. He caught just one pass for six yards while being targeted four times.

Gipson is just one of the reasons for the coaching staff that has kept Corley off the field.

"There's a group of receivers ahead of him that are operating a little better than he is right now," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Corley on Monday morning.

As New York's offensive struggles continue, though, the need for a big-play receiver becomes more apparent. If the Jets truly coveted the Hilltopper as much as they have shown, there's no reason the team can't create some unique ways to get him the ball out in space whether it be via screens, jet sweeps, or in the return game.

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And their inability to find ways to get younger players on the field could very well keep the offense back from reaching their full potential at the end of the day.