FA & Potential Roster Moves

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by NCJetsfan, Feb 5, 2021.

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  1. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Contract estimate
    Unlike Nicholas Morrow (I broke him down yesterday), who I think will get a mid-tier contract due to his one-year-wonder status and lack of starting experience, Brown has the complete package of positives on his resume to earn a massive deal.

    Not only is Brown fantastic in coverage, but he has been thriving in that area for three years running, so teams know he has a great chance to continue playing at a high level. Plus, he has been an every-down starter over the past two years. He isn’t a backup or part-time starter who may not be able to handle a larger role. We’ve already seen him thrive as a full-time starter for multiple years.

    The only knock on Brown is his struggles with injuries over the past two years, but even so, his durability track record isn’t that bad. He has missed eight regular season games in four years, an average of two per year. That’s not an unusual number in the NFL.

    For reference on the offers that Brown could command, here are some of the top contracts signed among inside linebackers in free agency last year, and their resumes compared to Brown’s:

    • Jayon Brown: entering age-26 season, coming off year with 66.4 overall PFF grade and 73.5 coverage PFF grade. 33 career starts, 8 career missed games.
    • Joe Schobert: entering age-27 season, coming off year with 59.1 overall PFF grade and 67.6 coverage PFF grade. 49 career starts, 3 career missed games. Signed five-year, $53.8M deal with Jaguars ($21.5M guaranteed)
    • Cory Littleton: entering age-27 season, coming off year with 79.0 overall PFF grade and 82.3 coverage PFF grade. 37 career starts, 0 career missed games. Signed three-year, $35.3M deal with Raiders ($22M guaranteed)
    • Blake Martinez: entering age-26 season, coming off year with 57.9 overall PFF grade and 62.3 coverage PFF grade. 57 career starts, 3 career missed games. Signed three-year, $30.8M deal with Giants ($19M guaranteed)
    Based on those comparisons, it would make sense to expect Brown to land a multi-year deal that averages at least $10 million per year.

    Projecting Jets’ pursuit
    As a player, Brown makes perfect sense for the Jets. He is what you would get if you handcrafted the ideal linebacker to fit what the Jets need right now.

    The idea of a C.J. Mosley-Jayon Brown duo is tantalizing. That could be one of the five best linebacker pairings in football, at the least.

    However, with Mosley already locked-in for a cap hit of $7.5 million in 2021 and $17.5 million in 2022 with no easy escape until the 2023 league year, it might not be logical for the Jets to tie themselves up to a second top-tier contract at the inside linebacker position.

    Unless Brown ends up going for a much cheaper price than it seems he is deserving of, I would expect Joe Douglas and the Jets to steer clear and focus on more affordable options like Morrow.

    ****
    Again, Videos demonstrating his play are in the article on their site.
     
  2. Footballgod214

    Footballgod214 Well-Known Member

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    Haven't had a chance to read this whole thread and don't know if this has already been posted.....

    Allen Robinson may already be ruling out Jets, Giants in free agency
    By Ryan Dunleavy

    February 20, 2021 | 3:35pm | Updated

    The Giants have the better roster, the Jets have more salary cap space, but neither wide-receiver-needy New York team perfectly checks all the boxes for Allen Robinson.

    In a deep class of free-agent wide receivers who can make an impact, Robinson is the top option after three straight dominant seasons with the Bears. His résumé puts him a notch above Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Will Fuller, Corey Davis and others.

    But Robinson, 27, is looking to maximize his value — he was coming off an ACL injury the last time he entered free agency — chase a championship and build a lasting legacy.

    “I’m still on the hunt to be a Hall-of-Fame receiver,” Robinson told GoLongTD.com this week. “That’s definitely important to me, as far as being able to play my best this next part — the prime of my career. That’s what it’s about. It’s about being able to play your best, being able to play meaningful games, being able to compete for a Super Bowl.”

    The Giants and Jets both have more questions than answers at quarterback, which is a turn-off for Robinson after playing the first seven years of his career with Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky as his primary quarterbacks with the Jaguars and Bears.

    Allen Robinson
    Getty Images
    Neither the Jets nor the Giants has won a playoff game since in the last nine seasons. Coming off a six-win season, the Giants have about $1 million in cap space before making expected cuts, according to overthecap.com. The two-win Jets have about $67 million available.

    Robinson hasn’t ruled out returning to the Bears, who reached the playoffs last season, but are searching for a new quarterback. But he and his agent detailed in the report their efforts over the last year to jump start negotiations on a contract extension that went nowhere.

    The five highest-paid receivers make more than $19 million per year in average annual salary.

    “I’m not opposed to being back in Chicago by any means,” Robinson said. “I’ve even expressed that over the last couple of years wanting to be the all-time leading receiver in Chicago. … All that being said, unfortunately we’ve come to what seems to be a fork in the road. But not even a fork. We haven’t even been given a viable option to be able to do those things that we want to do without sacrificing a ridiculous amount pretty much for the rest of my career.”

    The Bears could franchise tag Robinson with a one-year contract at $16.4 million to keep from losing him with nothing in return in free agency. It’s clear that would not satisfy Robinson, who then would have to decide whether to demand a trade (as he tried in September) and leverage a holdout to get into a different situation — like Jamal Adams did to the Jets last offseason.

    “It’s definitely an option,” Robinson said.

    Is a championship contender going to invest big bucks in a wide receiver? Just look at the lifts Stefon Diggs (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals) gave to their new teams this season.

    “I’m always a team guy and always have been a team guy,” Robinson said. “Once you get to these points in your career where you’ve played out your contract and you’re becoming a free agent, you have to sit back and think about what’s best for you not only on the field but for your family.”
     
  3. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

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    I like ARob a lot but the more I think about it, the less I want to pay him $20 million.

    I think paying a guy like Samuel $8 or 9 million per makes a lot more sense. That, and drafting my favorite prospect Kardarius Toney, would make me a happy boy.

    Samuel
    Sims
    Crowder
    Toney
    Berrios
    Cager
     
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  4. PennyandtheJets

    PennyandtheJets Well-Known Member

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    Should the New York Jets target C Linsley and slide McGovern back to Guard?
    Please subscribe if you are new to the channel!
     
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  5. Jonathan_Vilma

    Jonathan_Vilma Well-Known Member

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    The only way he's considering coming here is if we get Watson. I think he's one of the few guys out there that might take a couple million less to go play with a top flight quarterback. He's made a good chunk of money playing with hot garbage his entire career. He won't sell himself cheap but he's been subtly vocal about his displeasure with playing with Trubisky the past couple years.
     
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  6. NOVAJET

    NOVAJET "2020 TGG Fantasy Football Champ"

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  7. Footballgod214

    Footballgod214 Well-Known Member

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  8. PennyandtheJets

    PennyandtheJets Well-Known Member

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    Sure do love the idea of Najee Harris at 34.

    #2 QB Zach Wilson
    #23 G Wyatt Davis
    #34 RB Najee Harris

    Free agency:
    WR Curtis Samuel
    EDGE Trey Hendrickson

    This is possible right?
     
  9. BroadwayAaron

    BroadwayAaron Well-Known Member

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    I don’t think Harris makes it to 34. If we want him it’s Gonna have to be 23 and I’m fine with that. I would go Harris over IOL a million times out of a million there. I know the old (and slowly becoming outdated) adage of “don’t draft an RB in the first round” but that was invented back when RBs mostly ran the ball three times, maybe two and then a pass-catcher came in. That’s not the case anymore. There’s IOL depth that will be there at 34, not worried about that.

    I’d go RB or EDGE at 23 then shift focus to IOL and CB. If we don’t take Harris then we might as well wait til the third or fourth for an RB.

    Edit: This all under the assumption that we sign a legitimate starting WR in free agency. If we botch that again, we have to rethink the entire strategy from 23 on.
     
    #129 BroadwayAaron, Feb 22, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2021
  10. jcass10

    jcass10 Well-Known Member

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    I always figured the Jets would only be getting Robinson if they grabbed Watson. Outside of extreme overcompensation, Robinson has very little incentives to come here.

    They'll probably sign a tier two WR and draft one early-ish. I'm thinking at 34, but with the Darnold situation not figured out, its up in the air.
     
  11. BroadwayAaron

    BroadwayAaron Well-Known Member

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    Yea I can't see Robinson coming here without Watson. I'd be fine signing Samuel though. Our work definitely isn't done but his versatility in this offense makes him way more valuable to us than a lot of other teams.
     
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  12. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

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    I agree 100% but I would consider Toney at 23 and Etienne at 34. I think the drop off from Harris to Etienne is not that steep of it means securing Toney.

    Wilson, Toney and Etienne in the first 34 picks. It's not going to happen because that would mean the Jets are a competent franchise.

    The only way I pass on Toney at 23 is of Rousseau was available.
     
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  13. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    I love Harris, and would love to see the Jets take him, but I'd rather have Kadarius Toney I think. I think I'd give my left nut if we could somehow get both and one of Wilson/Fields/Lance.
     
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  14. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't take Rousseau over Toney even though I've been screaming for a real Edge Rusher for close to 20 years. Rousseau could prove to be a stud in the NFL, but we have to build around our QB and get an NFL caliber offense.

    I think we are becoming a competent franchise. I would love Wilson, Toney, and Etienne, but would be stunned if JD drafted all 3. I'd be shocked beyond words, but ecstatic.
     
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  15. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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  16. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    https://thejetpress.com/2021/02/17/ny-jets-5-edge-rushers-2021-free-agency/

    NY Jets: 5 edge rushers to target in 2021 free agency
    by Justin Fried5 days ago

    5. The NY Jets could target Yannick Ngakoue
    One of the more high-profile names set to hit the market, Yannick Ngakoue is coming off another eight-sack year, this time split between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens.

    The former Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher fits the prototype of what the Jets are looking for. An athletic pass-rush specialist with Pro Bowl upside and excellent production.

    That said, there are a few reasons why he’s number five on this list.

    Despite the eight sacks, Ngakoue is coming off arguably the least efficient season of his career posting a career-low 42 pressures which ranked 31st among all edge rushers.

    His 69.2 Pro Football Focus grade was also respectable, but it was still good for the lowest mark since his rookie year. That said, his woeful 46.7 run-defense grade clearly had something to do with that.

    Ngakoue remains one of the better pass-rushers in the NFL with 45.5 sacks over the first five years of his career. But don’t expect much contribution from him in the run game — he’s strictly a pass-rush specialist.

    That and his prior off-field antics in Jacksonville could scare someone like Joe Douglas away. His price tag might also be a bit higher than what the Jets are willing to pay given his average 2020 season.

    Still, he’s just 25-years-old and has the athletic upside and sack production the Jets are looking for. He’s someone they should certainly consider, even if he’s not atop their list of potential targets.

    4. The NY Jets could target Kerry Hyder
    With Saleh now in New York, it would make sense for him to attempt to bring over some of his former players from San Francisco. And one player that seems like a logical target is Kerry Hyder.

    Originally an undrafted free agent in 2014, Hyder’s first stint was actually with the Jets, but he spent the entirety of his rookie season on the team’s practice squad.

    From there, he would make a name for himself following an eight-sack season with the Detroit Lions in 2016 before settling back into a reserve pass-rusher role. That was until the 2020 season.

    Following a slew of injuries on defense, Hyder filled in for superstar pass-rusher Nick Bosa and put together the best season of his career recording a team-leading 8.5 sacks. Now, Hyder is set to hit free agency and there’s a good chance the Jets are interested.

    The Texas Tech product fits the mold of a true five-technique defensive end and provides a more well-rounded skill set than someone like Ngakoue for a much more affordable price.

    His 69.9 PFF run-defense grade ranked 24th of all edge defenders showing he can be efficient both rushing the passer and stopping the run.

    The biggest downside is that he’ll turn 30-years-old in May making him more of a short-term fix than a true high-upside, long-term solution.

    Hyder would give the Jets a starting-caliber defensive end who can fill a major need for the time being. He wouldn’t be a flashy signing, but he fits the system and would be a worthwhile addition for the right price.

    3. The NY Jets could target Trey Hendrickson
    Trey Hendrickson was one of the breakout stars of the 2020 season as the former third-round pick burst onto the scene in his first year as a starter recording 13.5 sacks despite entering the year with just 6.5 in his career.

    And it couldn’t have come at a better time either.

    Hendrickson was little more than a situational pass-rusher through the first three years of his career as he battled through injuries. But he proved in 2020 that he could be one of the better pass-rushers in football.

    Now entering free agency for the first time, the 26-year-old is looking to earn a sizable payday. And it’s unlikely that payday comes from a cap-starved New Orleans Saints team.

    Hendrickson is likely to be one of the more coveted players on the market given his age and production in 2020.

    His 13.5 sacks are impressive, but they weren’t hollow sacks either as his 49 pressures were good for top-20 at his position and his 77.0 PFF pass-rush grade was among the best of all edge defenders.

    Hendrickson will likely cost a pretty penny and there is something to be said about paying a player based on one year of production. But both the stats and analytics support that his 2020 season wasn’t a one-year fluke.

    There are no obvious indicators that regression is coming.


    The Jets may want to steer clear of Hendrickson’s market if it takes off, but he’s absolutely someone they should and will consider.
     
  17. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    2. The NY Jets could target Romeo Okwara
    Romeo Okwara quietly put together one of the best 2020s of any pass-rusher in football. He just did so on a poor Detroit Lions team and without the flashy sack numbers.

    Okwara finished his breakout campaign with a career-high 10 sacks and a whopping 61 pressures which were fifth-most among all edge rushers in the NFL.

    Combine that with his elite 84.5 pass-rush grade and you have a player who was pretty clearly a top-10/15 pass-rusher in the league a year ago.

    And at just 25-years-old, he’ll likely be looking to parlay his success in 2020 into a shiny new contract. The Jets should be one of his top suitors.

    Okwara was outstanding last season and has shown the ability to get to the quarterback at a high rate in the past racking up 7.5 sacks just two years ago. While his run-defense is shoddy at best, few players rushed the passer at a more efficient rate than Okwara last season.

    On top of that, at 6-foot-4, 263 pounds, he perfectly fits the archetype the Jets are looking for at defensive end. He’s your prototypical five-technique defensive end with enough athletic upside to shine in Robert Saleh’s defense.
    Because of his low-profile and lack of elite sack production throughout his career, he may not garner as much interest as someone like Yannick Ngakoue or even Matt Judon.

    But make no mistake about it, Okwara would be a better signing than both players and is someone the Jets must target this offseason — provided he hits the open market.

    1. The NY Jets could target Carl Lawson
    If Romeo Okwara isn’t the most undervalued pass-rusher in free agency this offseason, it’s because Carl Lawson is.

    A former fourth-round pick, Lawson burst onto the scene as a rookie racking up 8.5 sacks despite playing a part-time role. But he’s somewhat faded into NFL obscurity since then having flown under-the-radar on an abysmal Cincinnati Bengals team.

    But in 2020, Lawson was quietly one of the best pass-rushers in football.

    Don’t be fooled by his mere 5.5 sacks, Lawson was downright unblockable for the better part of 2020. The former Auburn star finished with a whopping 64 pressures which ranked fourth among all edge rushers in the NFL.

    The only free agent who tallied more pressures in 2020 was Shaquil Barrett — who would have been on this list if it wasn’t already clear that he will be returning to Tampa.

    Lawson’s 84.9 PFF pass-rush grade was top-eight at his position and he gets the nod over Okwara because he is a more capable run-defender. Fortunately, much like Okwara, he’s someone who could very well get overlooked in a deep free-agent crop of edge rushers.

    PFF even insisted in a recent article that “there is an argument to be made that Lawson is the best pure pass rusher to hit free agency this offseason.” He’s that good.

    Lawson fits the exact mold of a five-technique defensive end, is a well-rounded run defender, and was one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL a year ago. All at just 25-years-old.
     
  18. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    https://jetsxfactor.com/2021/02/18/new-york-jets-free-agent-position-preview-offensive-line/

    New York Jets free agent position preview: Offensive line
    By
    Michael Nania
    -
    02/18/2021

    The New York Jets are poised to spend big on the offensive line in free agency. How should they allocate their money at the position?

    Jets’ impending free agents
    Pat Elflein
    • 2020 cap hit: $829,500
    • Free agent type: Unrestricted
    • Age on September 1, 2021: 27.1
    • Free agent G ranking: 18th of 20
    Elflein was truly abysmal throughout his short stint with the Jets, showing why the Vikings decided to cut him midway through his fourth season after spending the 70th overall pick on him just three years earlier. From Weeks 12-17, Elflein tied for the second-most pressures allowed among guards (19). On the season, Elflein allowed 24 pressures over 239 protection snaps, a rate of 10.0% that was second-worst among all qualified guards (better than only the next player we will break down in this piece).

    In the run game, Elflein was also poor, ranking at the 31st percentile among guards with a 56.1 Pro Football Focus run blocking grade. The Jets were very unsuccessful when running in Elflein’s direction. Over Elflein’s six starts, on rush attempts directed “left guard” (according to the play-by-play), the Jets averaged 3.7 yards per rush attempt and picked up a conversion just 14.1% of the time. The league averages on rush attempts directed “left guard” this season: 4.4 yards per rush attempt and a 24.3% conversion rate.

    Josh Andrews
    • 2020 cap hit: $732,358
    • Free agent type: Unrestricted
    • Age on September 1, 2021: 30.2
    Andrews played 311 snaps over nine games for the Jets, starting four of those – three at right guard and one at left guard. He was one of the worst offensive linemen in football, earning a 41.2 overall PFF grade that ranked sixth-worst out of 231 qualified linemen. In protection, Andrews coughed up 25 pressures over just 188 protection snaps, an out-of-this-universe pressure rate of 13.3% that was the worst among 82 qualified guards by about ten country miles. The difference in pressure rate between Andrews and 81st-ranked Elflein – 3.3% – is about equal to the difference between Elflein and 70th-ranked Matt Pryor. Yikes.

    The Jets’ offensive line struggles in 2020 primarily had to do with the putrid depth. The starting-5 was still below average and is greatly in need of improvement, but it was a noticeably better unit than the one that preceded it in 2019. However, the backups were downright terrible, a problem spearheaded by Andrews and Elflein.

    Jets’ players under contract
    The entirety of last year’s starting-5 is back, but the Jets can escape the contracts of Fant, Lewis, and Van Roten, so their futures remain up in the air. Here are the cap implications for those three players if cut:

    • Fant: $7.4M savings, $2.0M dead money
    • Lewis: $5.2M savings, $1.7M dead money
    • Van Roten: $3.4M savings, $0 dead money
    Becton is obviously penciled-in for the next few years after being taken in the first round of last year’s draft. McGovern is extremely likely to be back in 2021 as the Jets are on the hook for his entire salary in 2021 and would save nothing by releasing him. They would actually lose $1.3 million in immediate cap room while taking on $10.7 million in dead money, per Spotrac. The Jets could consider cutting McGovern after the 2021 season, at which point they would save $9.0 million by cutting him while eating $1.3 million in dead money.

    This unit’s depth is a major problem, lacking any players that seem capable of performing above a league-worst caliber level. At tackle, Chuma Edoga heads into year three after failing to progress in his second season. Edoga allowed a pressure rate of 9.8% in 2020, second-worst among qualified tackles and even worse than his rookie-year mark of 8.1%. Conor McDermott ranked fourth-worst among qualifiers with a 9.3% pressure rate allowed in 2020.

    At guard, the only name of note beyond the starting-5 is Cameron Clark. The 2020 fourth-round pick did not appear in a single game during his rookie season. Clark was sidelined throughout the first half of the season, but from Week 9 onward, he was healthy, yet the Jets continued to sit him behind bottom-of-the-barrel guards. A second-year leap from Clark would be massive for the offensive line’s depth and long-term stability.

    If the Jets find two new starters at guard, they could improve their depth by keeping Van Roten around as a backup. Van Roten had a hot-and-cold 2020 season, but was ultimately around average overall, posting a 63.0 overall PFF grade that was slightly below the league average for guards (63.8). Van Roten’s $3.4 million cap hit is a fair price for a top-level backup.

    On the other hand, Lewis is too expensive to be kept as a backup at $6.9 million, and he is not good enough to be brought back as a starter after allowing a 6.9% pressure rate that ranked 72nd out of 82 qualified guards. From Weeks 1-11 (Lewis’ stint as a starter), Lewis’ total of 24 pressures allowed stood as the third-most among guards.
     
  19. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Top-tier free agents that make sense

    Brandon Scherff, G, Washington
    Scherff is about as good as it gets at right guard. He is one of the most brutally forceful people-movers in the league, but also has underrated athleticism and movement skills when out in space. In 2020, Scherff posted an 84.1 overall grade at PFF that ranked 10th among all guards and fourth among right guards. He has never posted a season-long PFF grade lower than 72.5 in his six-year career.

    Injuries are the question for Scherff, as he has played in only 71.9% of possible games over the past four seasons (46 of 64). His lack of durability could land him in the “avoid” section for some, but for a Jets team that is in dire need of help at the guard position and improved support for a potential new franchise quarterback, Scherff is too darn good to pass up even when considering his fragility.

    Joe Thuney, G, Patriots
    Thuney is a fantastic technician, dominating as a one-on-one pass protector and consistently taking tremendous angles in the run game. He ranked 10th among all guards and fifth among left guards with a 74.2 overall PFF grade in 2020, his fourth consecutive season with a 74.0+ grade. Over the past two seasons (including the playoffs), Thuney allowed only 34 pressures over 1,243 protection snaps, an elite rate of 2.7%.

    Never missing a start in his NFL career, Thuney’s iron man status gives him an edge over Scherff.

    Corey Linsley, C, Packers
    If the Jets want to move Connor McGovern to guard, they’ll need a very good reason to do it. Linsley is the only player on the free agent market who would represent a clear upgrade at center. He is in the conversation to be the league’s best player at the position after leading all centers with an 89.9 overall PFF grade in 2020. Linsley allowed seven pressures over 530 protection snaps (1.3%).

    Taylor Moton, T, Panthers
    Should the Jets decide they want to look for an upgrade at right tackle, there are two top-end starters set to hit the market at the position. Moton is the younger of the two, set to turn 27 just before the season begins. He has never missed a game and posted an overall PFF grade of at least 76.0 in each of his three of his seasons as a starter. That includes a career-best 81.2 grade in 2020 that ranked fifth-best among right tackles.

    Daryl Williams, T, Bills
    Williams joins Moton as a potential shoot-for-the-moon target at right tackle. He is two years older than Moton and has more injury questions, playing 72 of 96 career games (75.0%), but he was just as great of a player in 2020. Williams posted the fourth-best pass blocking grade (80.0) and ninth-best run blocking grade (76.9) at PFF among right tackles this past season.
     
  20. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Bargain free agents to target
    Ben Garland, 49ers
    I don’t think this is the case, but if the Jets are dead-set on moving McGovern to guard and finding a new center, there are decent options. Garland is one of them, possessing a connection to Mike LaFleur from the past two seasons. While Garland is going to be 33 years old and only has 11 career starts at center (all for the 49ers), he played well in those games. His 71.1 overall PFF grade over five starts in 2020 ranked ninth-best out of 39 qualifiers.

    Austin Reiter, Chiefs
    Reiter is another solid option at center if the Jets want to go this route. His game heavily leans towards pass protection over run blocking. In 2020, Reiter ranked sixth among centers in pass blocking grade (78.3) and 23rd in run blocking grade (63.6). He started 28 of the Chiefs’ 32 regular season games at center over the past two seasons, including all six of their playoff games. Reiter gave up only 22 pressures over 1,574 regular season and playoff protection snaps from 2019-20, a 1.4% rate.

    Chris Reed, Panthers
    Reed is a good depth option at guard. With only 23 career starts at 29 years old and lacking any standout seasons, Reed is not a great starting option and will likely be inexpensive, making him enticing as a backup.

    Over 14 starts as Carolina’s left guard in 2020, Reed ranked at the 79th percentile among qualified guards with a 3.4% allowed pressure rate. His 67.2 run blocking grade landed at the 71st percentile.

    Reed’s 54.5 pass blocking grade in 2020 (39th percentile) and subpar career performance prior to 2020 (composite career overall PFF grade of 55.7 from 2016-19) are causes for concern, but again, we’re not looking at him as a starter here. His flashes of solidity in 2020 make him one of the free agent market’s best targets for teams in search of a backup guard.

    What should the Jets’ approach be?
    At guard, the Jets need to be highly aggressive. Period. The two guard spots were the biggest weakness on the offensive line in 2020. Fortunately enough, there are two stars set to hit the open market in Scherff and Thuney. If Joe Douglas is only to take an all-in approach at one position in free agency, this should be the one. Look for Douglas and the Jets to make huge offers for both players, ideally coming away with one of them even if they have to overpay to make it happen.

    If the Jets miss on both Scherff and Thuney, I would expect them to fold their hand on the guard market. There are simply no other enticing options on the board, even for a stopgap-type role. In this scenario, Van Roten would likely return as a starter while the Jets turn their attention to finding a long-term solution at the other guard spot in the draft.

    The big X-factors are how the Jets handle the center and right tackle positions.

    What if LaFleur and company truly do believe that McGovern can thrive with a move back to guard, and that the best course of action is to slide him over and search for one center and one guard instead of two guards? In that case, going hard after Linsley makes sense. An interior trio of either McGovern/Linsley/Scherff or Thuney/Linsley/McGovern would be exciting on paper, but landing Linsley in addition to Scherff or Thuney will be much easier said than done with how much interest those players will command across the league due to the scarcity of options on the market. Even so, perhaps a McGovern/Linsley/rookie trio is the way to go.

    My personal take would be to leave McGovern at center – he was a top-10 talent there in 2019 and should get back there with better guard play alongside him to make his job easier from a mental standpoint – but the possibility of the Jets looking to slide him over should be entertained.

    On the right side of the line, the Jets will likely take a look at Moton and Williams but shy away from going overboard if their prices get out of hand. If they can land one of them, that’s great – Fant’s contract can be easily escaped at that point. If not, Fant is a perfectly fine option to carry into 2021 as a starter. It’s especially intriguing to imagine how much better Fant could be in LaFleur’s outside zone running scheme, which would make much better use of his athleticism than Adam Gase’s offense did.

    Regardless of what happens in free agency, the Jets need to continue focusing on the offensive line in the draft. As we discussed earlier, this unit’s depth was a far bigger problem than its starters in 2020. Outside of Clark, there is no pipeline of young talent being groomed to take over in the future. It will be essential for Douglas to use the draft to establish this long-term pipeline.

    Exactly how aggressive Douglas should be in attacking the offensive line on draft weekend will depend on what transpires in free agency, but no matter what happens with the Jets’ pursuit of the biggest fish, they will still head into the draft with a pressing need for improved depth and more youth up front.

    Until then, Douglas needs to be focused on doing whatever it takes to add at least one surefire upgrade to his offensive line via free agency.
     
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