I didn't realize that Gabe Jackson is now a FA. Either I missed his name earlier, or he has recently been released. I'd be for signing him. Is Trent Brown a FA? Spotrac doesn't list him, and I see that the Raiders are thinking about trading him. If we have to trade for him, I don't think I'd have any interest, but if he can be signed as a FA, then that's another matter. I just saw that Forrest Lamp (27) the Chargers' starting LG is now a FA as well. So is Jon Feliciano (29) Buffalo's starting RG, and Carolina's starting RG John Miller (28). That gives us a lot more options at OG. Hoorah!
Gabe Jackson is being released. Trent Brown is the Raiders RT that's is on the block apparently. See the end of page 12
Yes, I just saw that and had edited my post. Thanks! It sounds like he's lazy and doesn't work to stay in top shape and conditioning. With that being the case, I'm certain that JD would have zero interest.
While there are some attractive WRs and CBsal available in the FA, JD should be going for all in in acquiring 2 of the top OLs. If he can do that, IMO that not only the stabilize the foundation at front line but it gives JD more flexibility at drafting regardless who is at QB. Whether keeping Darnold, Trade for Watson or trade Darnold and get a QB with #2 pick. you can get a WR anywhere. You can get a CB anywhere. You can get a DE with the 2nd or third pick.
He could possibly sign two FA OL. It would be great in terms of protecting the QB for the next couple of seasons, but imo that might not be very wise since they're all 27 or older. That could mean both would have to be replaced again around the same time. As long as they didn't need to be replaced within a year or two of each other, that would be fine. All WRs aren't equal, nor are CBs, and you can't get one "anywhere." Not any old WR is going to help a QB. Those are silly statements. Also, you aren't getting an elite pass rusher very often in the 2nd or 3rd round. There is enough cap space, that if we draft a QB, JD could sign two FA OL, a DE, a WR, and possibly 2-3 more players.
Sir, my point get the 2 OL. There are OLs that play into the 30s. He gets WR and/or CB in FA on top of that great. Jets don’t get a WR via FA, then you get it in draft. Think Brown who did well with Tampa. Think Bryant who had some good games for the Ravens. I feel differently with WR. Not a silly statement. They ll be some WRs released . Bottom line my point IMO JD’s first search is OL and then another. That just my opinion.
Saying that OL will be JD's first priority is one thing. I don't disagree with that, and doubt that anyone else will. One can find great WRs in the draft and FA. Saying that is one thing. Saying that they can be found anywhere, is totally different. It says that they aren't important and any old WR will do. That is a silly statement whether you want to accept it or not. How we say things matters. None of us are mind readers.
Desmond Trufant anyone??? Rough year in Detroit with all the injuries but I'd be a fan of signing him. Just turned 30 so I'm hesitant but we really need to upgrade the CB spot. Played for Ulbrich/Manuel in Atlanta so the connection is there. Had some excellent seasons and may come cheap - perhaps a 1-yr incentive laden deal. Maybe sign Keanu Neal as well to play next to Maye (both former Gators) and solidify our defensive backfield. Shoot, might as well resign Poole (another former Falcon) to play the nickel again. Note: I'm still on the fence what A. Davis brings to the table.
https://jetsxfactor.com/2021/03/05/...the-new-york-jets-greatest-weaknesses-part-4/ Free agents that can solve the New York Jets’ greatest weaknesses (Part 4) By Michael Nania - 03/05/2021 Previously in our series of breakdowns chronicling the New York Jets‘ greatest weaknesses of 2020, we took a look at special teams, one of the most uncelebrated parts of the game. Today, we are going to turn the tables and analyze a far more celebrated position: wide receiver. Solving the Jets’ greatest weaknesses Part 1 (G pass protection, RB explosiveness) Part 2 (EDGE pressure rate) Part 3 (Punt coverage, FG/XP kicking, kickoff returning) Weakness: Wide receiver blocking Blocking at the wide receiver position is one of the most overlooked facets of football. On outside runs, the blocking performance of the wide receivers is often the determining factor in whether the rusher gets enough room for a huge gain or if he is stuffed for a minimal gain. In 2020, the Jets’ wide receivers combined for a Pro Football Focus run blocking grade of 53.1, ranking 26th out of the NFL’s 32 wide receiver groups. With offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur bringing in a Kyle Shanahan-style offense, this ability will become even more important for the Jets. Outside runs are a staple of the Shanahan run game. In 2020, the 49ers ranked ninth in the NFL with 122 carries directed to “left end” or “right end,” according to the play-by-play charting. Adam Gase’s Jets ranked 27th with 82 of those carries. Solutions: Chris Conley, Rashard Higgins, Zach Pascal, Corey Davis, Zay Jones, Byron Pringle It obviously doesn’t make sense to target a wide receiver just for his blocking, but considering their weakness in the area and its importance in their new offense, the Jets would be wise to place a greater emphasis on it than they typically would. Let’s start out with four free agent receivers who offer plenty-solid receiving ability in addition to strong blocking. Jacksonville’s Chris Conley has graded out excellently as a run blocker throughout his career. In 2020, his 82.7 run blocking grade ranked fifth-best out of 120 wide receivers with at least 100 run blocking snaps. That marked Conley’s fifth consecutive season with a grade above the 2020 positional average for wide receivers (59.8). He caught the ball effectively for the Jaguars this past season despite poor quarterbacking, ranking 19th out of 47 players on our free agent wide receiver ranking. Rashard Higgins of the Browns placed 11th-of-120 (92nd percentile) with a 75.2 run blocking grade. He owns a strong career run blocking grade of 67.8. Higgins was a marvelously efficient pass-catcher in 2020 with a +29.4% DVOA that placed third-best among qualified wide receivers behind Julio Jones (+29.7%) and Will Fuller (+41.2%). Indianapolis’ Zach Pascal is an underrated pass-catcher, placing at the 65th percentile in 2020 with a +5.5% DVOA while averaging 14.5 yards per reception over the past two seasons, but his blocking puts him over the top as a great complementary piece. Pascal’s career-low run blocking grade of 72.5 in 2020 was still good enough for 16th-of-120 (87th percentile). He ranked second among qualifiers in 2019 (85.0 grade) and 12th in 2018 (79.6), possessing a magnificent composite career grade of 77.9. Corey Davis is a star-caliber free agent who will likely receive a massive deal if he is not franchise-tagged. Davis landed at No. 1 on our free agent wide receiver ranking as he placed above the 90th percentile in all five of the categories measured. The icing on the cake of Davis’ attractiveness is his ability as a blocker. In 2020, Davis ranked 28th-of-120 (77th percentile) with a 67.5 run blocking grade. Over the past three years, he posted a composite grade of 68.2. Blocking for Derrick Henry, Davis is used to handling a heavy load in the run game, as Tennessee ranked third in the NFL with 396 carries directed “left end” or “right end” from 2018-20. Davis helped the Titans achieve a massive amount of success in those instances, as their average of 6.3 yards per rush attempt on “left end” or “right end” carries from 2018-20 ranked second-best behind Baltimore (6.9). There are two players on the market who are not good pass-catchers but stand out as fantastic blockers. One is Las Vegas’ Zay Jones. He owns an excellent career run blocking grade of 73.6, going no lower than 68.2 in any of his four seasons. In 2020, he ranked No. 1 at the position with a 90.2 grade, helping the Raiders rank ninth in the NFL with 5.6 yards per carry on “left end” or “right end” carries. Jones has had an abysmal career as a pass-catcher, though, averaging 21.6 receiving yards per game on 5.6 yards per target. Kansas City’s Byron Pringle only had 76 run blocking snaps in 2020, but he posted a 90.7 run blocking grade that was the best at the position if we cut the qualifier down to 50 snaps. Pringle has been an explosive target in his two-year career with an average of 10.0 yards per target and a sparkling conversion rate of 48.5%, but his sample size is limited as he has been targeted on an extremely infrequent basis (only 33 targets in 29 games, 1.1 per game). If LaFleur sees blocking as a key trait needed in his wide receivers, look for Joe Douglas to have the above players on his shopping list. Weakness: Wide receiver elusiveness The Jets’ wide receivers were not necessarily bad at creating after the catch in 2020, but they weren’t good, either, and they will need to be in a LaFleur offense that will emphasize getting the ball to receivers with room to work in space. In 2020, the Jets’ wide receivers were credited with 19 missed tackles forced over 188 receptions, an average of 0.101 per reception. That ranked 19th in the NFL and sat a tad below the positional average of 0.111. Meanwhile, San Francisco’s wide receivers were absolutely electric at making plays with the football in their hands. The 49ers’ wide receivers combined for 33 missed tackles forced over 181 receptions, a league-leading average of 0.182 avoided tackles per catch. Here are some of the free agents who have the open-field juice to thrive in LaFleur’s offense.
Solutions: Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Willie Snead, Isaiah McKenzie Let’s start off with one of the receivers who helped San Francisco’s wide receiver room become the league’s most elusive: Kendrick Bourne. Bourne forced seven missed tackles over 49 catches for an average of 0.143 that placed him 30th out of the 94 wide receivers (69th percentile) with at least 30 receptions. Over his four-year career with the 49ers, Bourne broke 19 tackles over 143 catches for a solid average of 0.133. The six-foot-1, 203-pounder has poor long speed (4.68 forty, 5th percentile among WR) but makes up for it with slick short-area quickness and explosiveness, running a 6.73 three-cone (84th percentile) and recording a 125-inch broad jump (78th percentile). He’s versatile, running 61.5% of his career routes from the outside and 38.5% from the slot. Agholor has developed into a great open-field player over the past three years. Since 2018, he has avoided 24 tackles over 155 receptions for an average of 0.155. With seven missed tackles forced over 48 receptions in 2020, his average of 0.146 ranked 28th-of-94 (71st percentile). The six-foot, 198-pound Agholor showed good speed and quickness at the Combine in 2015, running a 4.42 in the forty (83rd percentile) and a 1.53 in the 10-yard split (68th percentile). For his career, Agholor has had a nearly even split of slot reps to outside reps, running out of the slot 48.7% of the time versus outside 51.3% of the time. However, with the Raiders in 2020, he primarily played outside, running 66.6% of his routes from the outside. Looking to players who call the slot their home, Willie Snead and Isaiah McKenzie pop out as mesmerizing ball-handlers. Snead broke eight tackles over 33 receptions in 2020, ranking 7th-of-94 (94th percentile) with a sizzling average of 0.242. His career average is an elite 0.184. Snead (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) has run 69.1% of his career routes out of the slot and was above the 80% mark in each of his past three seasons for the Ravens. It is remarkable how good of a play-maker Snead has become in spite of an unsightly 2014 Combine where he posted sub-30th-percentile marks in every drill he participated in, contributing to him going undrafted. McKenzie had an outstanding overall season for the Bills in 2020 over a small sample, catching 88.2% of the passes thrown his way and recording either a first down or a touchdown on exactly half of his targets. He created much of that production himself with six missed tackles forced over 30 receptions, ranking 12th-of-94 (88th percentile) with a 0.200 average. The tiny McKenzie stands at five-foot-eight and 173 pounds, running 66.5% of his career routes out of the slot. He showed great athleticism at the 2017 Combine with a 4.42 forty time (83rd percentile) and a 6.64 three-cone time (92nd percentile). Surprisingly, Carolina’s Curtis Samuel – a very popular target amongst Jets observers, including myself – does not have great elusiveness numbers as a pass-catcher throughout his career (despite great elusiveness as a rusher). He had seven broken tackles over 77 receptions in 2020, a below-average rate of 0.091. His career mark is an average-level 0.108. In addition, Samuel’s 4.3 yards after catch per reception in 2020 was below the positional average (4.4), and his career average is just 3.6.
I think this was asked in the presser to Douglas, but do you think not knowing the Jets QB will hurt them signing free agents? I think if I was a FA, I would want to know who my QB was. Especially if I was a WR or OL. Not a big deal for a defensive player probably, but it is nice to know the kind of team you are joining. I guess you could have the understanding that your QB will likely be Wilson or Darnold at this point. Hopefully it is not a big deal.
I think it definitely will matter. I think JD was just trying to project a confident image out there, but hopefully he doesn't really believe that. I don't think any top WR that we'd want would sign here if Darnold is the QB. We might get some guy with an injury history like Fuller, or some guy like Ju-Ju who was just coming here for the money, but who doesn't have the football character we want. I think things wouldn't be that bad with Wilson, especially if we have already traded Sam, but I think probably the only way we get Robinson is if we have Watson. I think Godwin is likely to re-sign with TB, and don't think JD will have a lot of interest in Golladay, but could be wrong about that. I think we could possibly sign Davis. I don't think a lot of WRs would rush to sign with the Jets if we've already signed Beathard or Tyrod Taylor, but with the promise that we are taking Wilson, we might still be able to sign one. That's if JD even plans to go after a proven vet WR. I think he needs to for Wilson's sake, but I'd be more than a little surprised if he handed out a big contract to Robinson or Golladay. I think he might be more inclined to do it with Godwin or Davis. It will be interesting. Hopefully, he will build around the QB position and not make the same mistake that Mac did.
https://jetsxfactor.com/2021/02/28/...the-new-york-jets-greatest-weaknesses-part-1/ Here are the top free agents that have the ability to solve the New York Jets’ biggest problems from the 2020 season. Free agents that can solve the New York Jets’ greatest weaknesses (Part 1) By Michael Nania - 02/28/2021 Weakness: Pass protection at guard The New York Jets‘ guards were a massive problem in the passing game throughout the 2020 season. Greg Van Roten had a stretch of decency during the middle portion of the season, but otherwise, the position was a mess. Van Roten started the season brutally, and every other guard to appear for the Jets – Alex Lewis, Josh Andrews, and Pat Elflein – was terrible in pass protection all year. With a combined total of 97 pressures allowed over 1,282 protection snaps, the Jets’ guards allowed a pressure rate of 7.6%, worst in the NFL. The 2020 league average for guards was 4.5%. Greg Van Roten: 5.0% Alex Lewis: 6.9% Pat Elflein: 10.0% Josh Andrews: 13.3% Solutions: Brandon Scherff, Joe Thuney Well, this is an obvious one for anybody who has following free agency closely over the past few months. Scherff and Thuney are superstar guards, ready to provide an immediate upgrade for whichever team is willing to dump a boatload of dough on them. Over the past three seasons, Scherff allowed a pressure rate of 3.24%, ranking third-best among right guards behind Zack Martin (3.19%) and Kevin Zeitler (3.08%). Across the same span, Thuney was even cleaner with a rate of 3.06% that ranked fourth-best among left guards, trailing only Quenton Nelson (2.98%), Elgton Jenkins (2.94%), and Joel Bitonio (2.44%). It is incredible to think about how gargantuan of an upgrade Scherff and Thuney could be. Let’s start with Thuney at left guard. In 2020, Alex Lewis allowed multiple pressures in six of his nine games. Thuney, on the other hand, has given up multiple pressures in six of his last 36 regular season and playoff games, spanning throughout the past three seasons. At right guard, Scherff has allowed multiple pressures in 11 of his past 34 games dating back to 2017. In 2020, the Jets’ starting right guards (Van Roten for 13 games, Andrews for 3) allowed multiple pressures in 10 of 16 games. Signing the elite Corey Linsley (PFF’s No. 1 center in 2020) to play center and kicking Connor McGovern over to guard is an option, as McGovern played guard in college and throughout his first three professional seasons, but we have yet to see McGovern prove he can protect effectively at that position in the NFL. McGovern gave up a pressure rate of 7.0% over 13 extended appearances at right guard from 2017-18. Considering the severe lack of depth in the free agent guard pool – there are no other qualified unrestricted free agent guards who were above-average in both pressure rate allowed and PFF’s pass blocking grade last year except for Kelechi Osemele – the Jets will have to be extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Scherff and/or Thuney if they want to improve one of the weakest positions on their roster. If they miss out on both, they are simply not going to find a clear upgrade at guard prior to the draft (barring a trade). Joe Douglas is known as a frugal spender, but the wisest move for his team in this particular situation might just be to do whatever it takes to outbid the opposition for one of these two star guards. Sometimes, being an aggressive spender on the open market is smart. This may be one of those times.
Weakness: Explosiveness at running back As you would expect when 99-year-old Frank Gore is getting the majority of the carries, the Jets had one of the league’s least explosive running back rooms in 2020. The Jets’ running backs averaged 0.33 open field yards per carry, meaning that, on their average carry, they gained only 0.33 yards beyond 10 yards downfield. That mark ranked second-worst in football, ahead of only the Christian McCaffrey-less Panthers (0.32). In total, New York’s backfield picked up just two rushes that eclipsed 20 yards; a 25-yarder by Josh Adams against the Raiders in Week 13 and a 34-yarder by Ty Johnson against the Dolphins in Week 12. Fortunately, there are some good solutions on the open market that would provide excellent home-run-hitting potential while coming at a cheap cost. One of the names – and perhaps the best option – is a very familiar one for Jets fans. Solutions: Josh Adams, Wayne Gallman, Samaje Perine Bringing back Josh Adams – who is a restricted free agent – would be one of the Jets’ best bets to improve their home-run potential at running back. It was a small sample, as he carried the ball only 29 times, but he was by far the Jets’ most explosive back last season. Here is how each running back on the roster fared when it came to open field yards per carry (the 2020 RB average was 0.68): Josh Adams: 0.93 Ty Johnson: 0.67 La’Mical Perine: 0.23 Frank Gore: 0.13 Here is how the crew compared when it came to picking up rushes for 10+ yards (the 2020 RB average was 11.3%): Josh Adams: 5 rushes for 10+ yards on 29 carries (17.2%) La’Mical Perine: 5 on 64 (7.8%) Ty Johnson: 4 on 54 (7.4%) Frank Gore: 13 on 187 (7.0%) Lightening the risk of that small sample size is the fact that Adams was a solid big-play threat over his 120-carry season for the Eagles in 2018 as well. That year, he averaged 0.88 open field yards per carry and picked up 10+ yards on 14 of his 120 carries (11.7%). Perhaps Adams is for real and has simply been overlooked by the league. Samaje Perine, cousin of La’Mical, is coming off of a similar season to Adams, flashing a lot of juice with a small sample of touches. Perine picked up 301 yards and three touchdowns on just 63 carries for the Bengals (4.78 yards per carry). He ran for 10+ yards on an impressive 14.2% of his carries (9 of 63) and averaged a sparkling 1.05 open field yards per carry. Unlike Adams, however, Perine was not impressive prior to 2020. Perine’s last season with a substantial amount of carries was his 2017 rookie year with Washington, and he struggled mightily, posting marks of 3.45 yards per carry and 0.25 open field yards per carry while gaining 10+ yards on only 7.4% of his attempts. So, Perine has a legitimate sample-size red flag attached to him, but his 2020 season is definitely one that catches the eye, making him a worthy gamble on a deal with little-to-no guarantees. Wayne Gallman is another interesting option. Gallman was an unexciting rusher for the Giants over the first three years of his career (3.99 yards per carry), but in 2020, he had a breakout season. He carried the ball 147 times for 682 yards and six touchdowns, averaging an efficient 4.64 yards per carry. Gallman averaged 3.63 yards after contact per carry, a mark that ranked fourth-best among running backs with at least 100 carries. However, Gallman is not much of a home-run hitter, picking up 10+ yards on a slightly-below-average 10.1% of his carries, so he does not check the “explosiveness” box we’re looking for here. He’s more of a consistent chunk-gainer type of back. Nonetheless, Gallman was still a highly efficient rusher overall, and the Jets need efficiency at the running back position however they can get it after a season in which the running back position limited their run game’s productivity. The Jets ranked 26th in rushing DVOA despite ranking 19th in Pro Football Focus’ team run blocking grade (65.2) and 16th in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards (4.35). That disparity suggests the running back position deserves the bulk of the blame for the lack of rushing production. Most of that blame should be placed upon the group’s top dog, Gore, while Perine deserves a smidgen of blame as well. Adams (5.41 yards per carry) and Ty Johnson (4.70) capitalized on the offensive line’s decent blocking and then some, combining for 4.95 yards per carry, a mark that demolishes the 3.53 average produced by the combination of Gore (3.49) and Perine (3.63). Running it back with Adams and Johnson could be the most sensible path for the Jets. It would be extremely cost-effective while still boasting top-tier upside based on the small sample we saw from the duo last season.
https://nypost.com/2021/03/06/nfl-f...medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons Jets may look to help Robert Saleh with 49ers free agents By Brian Costello March 6, 2021 | 8:53pm When the Jets hired Rex Ryan as head coach in 2009, he inherited a roster that had won nine games the year before. The roster did not lack talent, but Ryan had a priority in free agency — his guys. The Jets added linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard and defensive end Marques Douglas in Ryan’s first offseason. They all came from the Ravens, for which Ryan had been defensive coordinator. They were critical additions for the Jets, who went to the AFC Championship game in each of Ryan’s first two years. Part of it was their ability on the field, but their bigger contributions might have been for Ryan off the field. The three of them were extensions of Ryan, helping teach his defense and also preaching the Gospel of Rex. New coaches need allies in the locker room as they try to get their players to buy into their program. It is why looking at the 49ers’ pending free agents makes sense for the Jets and new coach Robert Saleh. After four years as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator, Saleh surely will be looking to bring some of his former defenders to the Jets. And he also will be looking at offense, because new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur came with him from the 49ers. “There’s always comfort in familiarity,” Saleh said this week. “It’s almost human nature to gravitate to people you’ve worked with and people you’ve been around, but there’s still a process at which you go to. There’s a fit, there’s a value. There are all those different things, a lot of moving parts that go into it. While yeah, it’d be great, it’s not the main determining factor on whether or not we can get those people into the building, those players.” Saleh may not try to create 49ers East, but it won’t be surprising if some San Francisco free agents end up as Jets when the negotiating window opens March 15. Here are some of the 49ers free agents the Jets and Saleh could look to sign: Richard Sherman, cornerback No one has been a bigger fan publicly of the Jets hiring Saleh than Sherman. He said the Jets “got a great one” when Saleh was hired and has repeated that message. He will be 33 at the end of the month and is not the player he was in his Legion of Boom heyday with the Seahawks. Still, Sherman played well in 2019 for the 49ers before a calf injury limited him to five games last year. Sherman may be looking to join a contender, but if he is interested in a reunion with Saleh, he could be a great locker room leader for the Jets. K’Waun Williams, cornerback The Jets have many positions that need a lot of help. Cornerback is one of them, and the 49ers have a few corners about to hit the market. Brian Poole is going to be a free agent for the Jets and they may let him walk. Williams, a slot corner, would be a strong replacement. He has allowed one touchdown on 99 targets over the past two years, according to PFF. Saleh spoke highly of Williams at the end of last season. “The reason why everyone loves KK — especially yours truly — is the speed at which he operates and the instincts and the trigger, we call it trigger, and the way he triggers on game day and within each play,” Saleh told San Francisco reporters. This could be a homecoming for Williams, who grew up in Paterson, N.J., and played high school football at Saint Joseph Regional in Montvale. Kyle Juszczyk, fullback The Jets have not had a true fullback in years. Their last four offensive coordinators did not use them much. Juszczyk has been the best in the NFL with the 49ers. He has been to the Pro Bowl in each of the past four seasons. If LaFleur wants to run his offense with a fullback, as he did in San Francisco, luring Juszczyk away makes a lot of sense. Jason Verrett, cornerback Verrett has battled injuries in his career, but had a healthy season in 2020. The Jets desperately need help at cornerback and general manager Joe Douglas may take a volume approach to the problem and add a bunch of cornerbacks. Jaquiski Tartt, safety The Jets may be happy with their safety situation if they re-sign or franchise tag Marcus Maye and Ashtyn Davis is healthy. If they have any doubts, though, Tartt could be an option for them. Kerry Hyder, defensive end The Jets desperately need to elevate their pass rush. There are some high-priced options in free agency and the Jets may go that way. A cheaper option is Hyder, who led the 49ers with 8.5 sacks last season. Others to consider: CB Ahkello Witherspoon, WR Kendrick Bourne, QB C.J. Beathard, RB Tevin Coleman
Def like Williams, Juszcyzk and Bethard. Hyder is an interesting option but hope he is not a one year wonder.
https://www.nj.com/jets/2021/03/nfl...g-as-joe-douglas-tries-to-rebuild-roster.html NFL rumors: Who is Jets’ perfect free-agent pairing, as Joe Douglas tries to rebuild roster? Updated 6:45 AM; Today 6:45 AM By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com One week until 2021 NFL free agency. The negotiating window opens next Monday, and the signing period begins Wednesday. The Jets have the salary cap space to be very active in free agency. General manager Joe Douglas, in just his second full offseason, has $77 million in cap space right now (second-most in the NFL), according to overthecap.com’s estimate. One of Douglas’ biggest needs, of course, is a No. 1 receiver — to go with Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder, presuming Crowder isn’t released. Pro Football Focus put together its league-wide rundown of perfect free agency pairings. One player for each team. The Jets’ perfect pairing? Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson. Which makes a lot of sense, though Robinson could be franchise tagged before Tuesday’s deadline. Here’s the rationale from PFF: Last year, there were XFL rosters with better receiving corps than the Jets had, and the team cannot let that happen again, regardless of who is playing quarterback. If they decide to hold on to Sam Darnold or draft a quarterback early in the first round, they need to get themselves a real receiver. Robinson qualifies as just that. Despite playing with inaccurate quarterbacks, as he has for almost his entire career, Robinson still posted an 89.1 receiving grade over the last three seasons. He also comes with some positional versatility; he’s an outside receiver but did play a third of his snaps in the slot over those three years. The move gives the Jets two receivers in one. Makes sense. As for other top free agent receivers — some of whom could be tagged — PFF pairs the Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster with the Cardinals, the Titans’ Corey Davis with the Ravens, the Texans’ Will Fuller with the Bengals, the Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin with the Jaguars, the Colts’ T.Y. Hilton with the Dolphins, and the Lions’ Kenny Golladay with the Eagles. I'd love to have Robinson, but would be shocked if we are able to get him. He probably would have no interest in coming here unless we trade for Watson. It's possible that he could with Zach Wilson, but there's no way he'd come here with Darnold still at QB. Probably none of the top WRs would sign here if Darnold is still going to be our starting QB.
