The Jets came on board Monday night with some free agency deals. Here are some thoughts on the Jets moves and what lies ahead:
1. I’m not a big fan of free agency. I do not think this is a sustainable way to win. That said, I admit the Jets were in a position with their roster where they had to spend money, and I think Joe Douglas followed a wise approach.
Douglas identified edge rusher and wide receiver as two positions in this market that had more talent than usual, as the reduced salary cut forced teams to make difficult decisions and prevented players who would normally get the franchise label from doing so. to get.
Next he has two players in Corey Davis and Carl Lawson who would not seek the highest contracts in their position, and were also young enough (both are 26 in week 1) to advance their best football. they.
That being said, no one knows what these contracts are going to look like in two years. They guaranteed $ 30 million to Lawson and he has never had double-digit pockets. They guaranteed Davis $ 27 million and he has never had a 1000 meters in a season.
Free agents are free agents for a reason. The trick is to identify the reason and find out if it is worth investing in. In this case, it seems the Titans had other priorities and did not want to pay Davis, and the Bengals tried to keep Lawson, but I think were not willing to structure the contract in the same way as the Jets with guaranteed money not. We’ll see when we get the full contract details.
Both of these players are a risk, but the Jets are better in those positions today than they were yesterday. They also did not pay too much to the biggest names like Trumaine Johnson, Le’Veon Bell and CJ Mosley. I chose Yannick Ngakoue in the foreground because he is more proven, but Lawson may have a higher head.
It is impossible to know how these players will fare. This degree will come in two years. But Douglas’ logic, plan, and execution were thorough.
2. The Jets are not done yet. There are still holes across this grid and Douglas will not be able to fill everyone in the draft. I’m not sure Douglas is going to hand out any major contracts yet. I now think he will seek value. The biggest positions that pop up are the diagonal and running back. The Jets believe the concept is stronger in these positions as a free agency. But they still have to pick up at the position.
Some players to watch: RBs Kenyan Drake and Jamaal Williams, CBs Shaquill Griffin and Richard Sherman.
I could also see the Jets adding another edge rusher to go with Lawson. Kerry Hyder had 8 bags for Robert Saleh in San Francisco last season. He will not break the bank and will be an upgrade with the familiarity of the scheme.
I also think the Jets need a little more depth at linebacker and tight end.
3. I did not mention the above insult line above because I do not think the Jets have many options there. The free agent market was Joe Thuney as guard, Corey Linsley at center and then a big retreat. I’m not sure any of the names that are still there are an upgrade for the Jets. Douglas could address the need in the draft, or maybe he could find someone in the trade. I do think he needs to do something vigilant, and he can not enter the season with Alex Lewis and Greg Van Roten as his only answers. The Jets like Connor McGovern in the middle and felt he played better late in the season.
As for Thuney, you can not criticize Douglas for not signing a $ 16 million a season guard. It’s crazy money and good for Thuney to get it. If the Jets also match the Chiefs’ offer, where is Thuney going? Kansas City has been in the last two Super Bowls. So, the Jets would have to top the offer, perhaps significantly, to land him.
As for Linsley, the Jets are not interested. They did their homework on Linsley and decided he was not fit. It was not cheap. They just did not feel that he was the right player for them. You have to think they’ve been paying a lot of attention to him since he played for Matt LaFleur for the past two years, and his brother Mike is now the Jets offensive coordinator.
4. The Jarrad Davis signing overwhelms me. He did not play so well in Detroit that he had a diminished role last season. I would like to hear what the Jets’ plans are for him. They did not pay him much money, and perhaps they regard him as a deep player.
As for Mosley, I would not trade with him. I don’t think the Jets will be able to move him because of his contract, and if they do, they are not going to get much back. He is a good football player when he is healthy. Take your chance that you can get something out of him this season and then try to move him next season.
5. A final note on a former Jet. When I saw the news that Washington had signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for a $ 10 million one-year deal, I thought of the end of the 2016 season with the Jets. Fitz played terribly that year and everyone knew his time with the Jets was over. One reporter asked Fitzpatrick if he thought he was done playing football, period. Fitzpatrick does not like the question. That’s why I remember it. He stood on the idea that he was done. Five years later, he received only another $ 10 million. Long live Fitzmagic. He had a fascinating football life.