The Jets swear up and down that they aren’t tanking, but if they’re not trying to secure the first pick in the 2018 draft, then we’re not quite sure what the game plan is. Recently, former head coach Rex Ryan became the latest to pile on Gang Green’s offseason.
“They have to get a quarterback,” Ryan told ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “That kid from Penn State, we all know that’s not the answer.”
That kid, Christian Hackenberg, was taken in the second round of last year’s draft with the hope that he would blossom into the team’s next franchise QB. He did not see a snap as a rookie and this year he is third on the depth chart behind a 38-year-old journeyman and a former fourth-round pick with limited NFL experience.
The question marks go far beyond the quarterback position. The Jets are a team with no real prospects for the 2017 season and no exact blueprint for the future. However, if the Jets can secure the No. 1 pick (which is totally not their goal, you guys), then there will be some reason for hope.
Notable signings:
- Brian Winters, G: Four years, $29MM. $15MM guaranteed.
- Kelvin Beachum, T: Three years, $24MM. $12MM guaranteed.
- Josh McCown, QB: One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed. $7MM available via incentives.
- Ben Ijalana, T: Two years, $10.25MM. $3MM guaranteed.
- Morris Claiborne, CB: One year, $5MM. $2MM signing bonus.
- Josh Martin, LB: Two years, $3.8MM. $850K guaranteed.
- Chandler Catanzaro, K: One year, $900K. $250K guaranteed.
- Bruce Carter, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Jonotthan Harrison, C: One year, $850K. $50K guaranteed.
- Mike Pennel, DT: One year, $990K.
- Wesley Johnson, C: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
- Marcus Williams, CB: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
- Jeremy Kerley, WR: One year, contract terms unknown.
Josh McCown had opportunities to serve as a No. 2 quarterback for contending teams, but he followed the money to New York where he’ll enter as the Week 1 starter. McCown didn’t have a ton of competition for the job this summer given Hackenberg’s aforementioned struggles and Bryce Petty‘s knee injury, but he’ll probably get the hook if/when the Jets fall in the standings. Eventually, the Jets have to get a better read on what Petty can offer and they’ll have to test Hackenberg in some fashion. 
The good news for the Jets’ QB trio is that the team did invest a bit in the offensive line. One of last year’s most porous units now has Kelvin Beachum starting at left tackle, and he could be a difference maker if he’s healthy. The 28-year-old was an elite left tackle in 2014 with the Steelers. In 2015, he had his season cut short by a torn ACL and could not get back to his old form upon joining the Jaguars in 2016. Last year he graded out as the NFL’s No. 63 tackle among 78 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, and one has to wonder if the knee injury was holding him back. Last year’s left tackle, Ben Ijalana, will slide back over to the right side after re-upping on a two-year deal.
The Jets made a low-risk/high-reward signing by adding cornerback Morris Claiborne in March. There’s just one problem here – what good will it do the Jets to have a quality cornerback on a one-year deal when the rest of the team is not equipped to win? Then again, if the Jets wanted to add a second or third year to the deal, it would have cost them a pretty penny. The Claiborne deal came in at just $5MM for this year and that will be a steal if Claiborne can perform like he did in his injury-shorted 2016 campaign. Claiborne was on the field for only seven games, but he finished out as Pro Football Focus’ 12th ranked corner for his work in Dallas. If he plays well, it’s possible that the Jets will re-sign him to a long-term deal, allowing him to be a part of the franchise’s turnaround.
Notable losses:
- Antonio Allen, S
- Braedon Bowman, TE: Waived
- Brandon Bostick, TE
- Mike Catapano, DL
- Ryan Clady, T: Team declined option, Clady retired
- Kellen Davis, TE
- Eric Decker, WR: Released
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB
- Nick Folk, K: Released
- Breno Giacomini, T: Released
- Marcus Gilchrist, S: Released
- David Harris, LB: Released
- Erin Henderson, LB: Team declined option
- Nick Mangold, C: Released
- Brandon Marshall, WR: Released
- Darrelle Revis, CB: Released
- Khiry Robinson, RB: Waived
- Geno Smith, QB
Given the Jets’ extended timetable for getting back to winning football, it made some sense for them to release wide receiver Eric Decker and linebacker David Harris. The timing, however, was not ideal. Both players were released in June, long after the bulk of the free agent dollars had dried up. The good news for them is that they both found decent landing spots. Decker will play his home games near his family in Nashville, Tennessee while Harris will chase a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots. 
Unlike Decker, Brandon Marshall actually secured his release in March. Marshall used that opportunity to join up with the other tenant of the Meadowlands, signing a two-year, $12MM deal with the G-Men. Marshall could put up some real numbers as Odell Beckham Jr. draws the attention of opposing secondaries.
The Jets cut ties with their longest-tenured player when they released Nick Mangold in February. The veteran center missed half of the season due to injury and his ongoing unemployment underscores the harsh reality that he is no longer a top flight center. By cutting the former first-round pick, the Jets saved more than $9MM. With the early offseason releases of Ryan Clady, Breno Giacomini, Nick Folk, and Mangold, the Jets cleared a whopping $26.575MM off the 2017 cap.
After that quartet of veterans were shown the door, the Jets had a tough decision to make on Darrelle Revis. In a fit of nostalgia, owner Woody Johnson brought Revis Island back to New York with a five-year, $70MM pact prior to the 2015 season. Two years later, the critics were proved right as the Jets released Revis. The move was more football/culture driven than financial. Cutting Revis saved $9.3MM in cap space, but the Jets are still on the hook for $6MM in guaranteed base pay for 2017. Because of the offset language in the deal, Revis has refused to sign with any other club for less than that sum since he’d effectively be playing for free. No team will meet that salary demand since Revis is a shell of his former self, but we could conceivably see him return to the NFL for some team’s playoff run.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets were in a high-profile contract standoff last offseason. Ultimately, Fitzpatrick got a one-year, $12MM deal out of the Jets in late July, even though the Jets were basically bidding against themselves. Unfortunately, the veteran regressed sharply from his 2015 performance, leading to his exit this summer. The Jets’ QB situation is a bit of a quagmire now, but no one was calling for Fitzmagic to fix it this time around. He’ll now serve as Jameis’ Winston’s backup in Tampa.
Many of the team’s familiar faces were discarded this offseason, but the Jets do have Jeremy Kerley back in the fold. A surprise cut of the Niners in early September, Kerley figures to be one of the team’s leading receivers this year.
Trades:
- Acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 79; WR ArDarius Stewart) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 160) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2017 third-round pick (No. 70; OL Pat Elflein).
- Acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 125) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 204; CB Derrick Jones) from the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2017 third-round pick (No. 107; LB Kendell Beckwith).
- Acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 141; WR Chad Hansen) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197; CB Jeremy Clark) from the Rams in exchange for a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 125; LB Samson Ebukam).
- Acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 181; LB Dylan Donahue) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 188; RB Elijah McGuire) from the Browns in exchange for a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 160; OL Roderick Johnson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 224; K Zane Gonzalez).
- Acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick from the Cowboys in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 191; S Xavier Woods).
- Acquired LB Demario Davis from the Browns in exchange for S Calvin Pryor.
- Acquired S Terrence Brooks from the Eagles in exchange for CB Dexter McDougle.
- Acquired LS Thomas Hennessy from the Colts in exchange for S Ronald Martin.
- Acquired WR Jermaine Kearse, a 2018 second-round pick, and a 2018 seventh-round pick from the Seahawks for DL Sheldon Richardson and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
Last offseason, the Jets gave Muhammad Wilkerson a lucrative extension that likely sealed Sheldon Richardson‘s fate. Rather than lose Richardson for nothing next spring, the Jets pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal on Sept. 1 to add to their draft stockpile. The Jets are losing one of the game’s most talented defensive linemen, but they’re gaining a second-round selection that can help them win games when it will actually matter for them. And, in the interim, veteran wide receiver Jermaine Kearse will help to round out a paper thin unit.
The Jets made a few other trades of note, reuniting with Demario Davis by sending hard-hitting Louisville product Calvin Pryor to Cleveland. The Jets sent another one-time Ryan favorite out of town when they acquired cornerback Dexter McDougle to the Eagles for safety Terrence Brooks.
Extensions and restructures:
- Demario Davis, LB: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary of $3.7MM to $900K. $100K guaranteed. $1.225MM available via incentives.
Draft picks:
- 1-6: Jamal Adams, S (LSU)
- 2-39: Marcus Maye, S (Florida)
- 3-79: ArDarius Stewart, WR (Alabama)
- 4-141: Chad Hansen, WR (California)
- 5-150: Jordan Leggett, TE (Clemson)
- 5-181: Dylan Donahue, LB (West Georgia)
- 6-188: Elijah McGuire, RB (Louisiana-Lafayette)
- 6-197: Jeremy Clark, CB (Michigan)
- 6-204: Derrick Jones, CB (Mississippi)
The Jets took criticism for a lot of their decisions this offseason, but they were largely applauded for their selection of LSU safety Jamal Adams at No. 6 overall. Adams is as NFL-ready as they come and marks a clear upgrade to the secondary. The reviews are a little more mixed on second-round pick Marcus Maye, but GM Mike Maccagnan made a name for himself as a college scout. It was his foresight that built the Texans’ stellar defense and he believes he is planting the seeds for something similar with his top picks in this year’s draft.
Other:
- Learned owner Woody Johnson would be named UK ambassador.
- Hired John Morton as offensive coordinator to replace Chan Gailey.
- Learned WR Jalin Marshall was suspended four games (PEDs).
- Learned CB Nick Marshall was suspended four games (PEDs).
- Learned TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins was suspended two games (substance abuse).
- Claimed DE Kony Ealy off waivers from the Patriots.
- Claimed TE Will Tye off waivers from the Giants.
- Placed WR Quincy Enunwa on injured reserve.
- Signed eight undrafted rookie free agents.
A freak accident in practice left top receiver Quincy Enunwa with a season-ending neck injury. The Jets will now have to wait until 2018 to get him back on the field and that’s soul crushing since he profiled as the team’s top offensive weapon for this year.
The Jets also have some suspensions to deal with on offense and they’ll have to start their year without tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and wide receiver Jalin Marshall. The good news is that ASJ drew rave reviews throughout training camp and there’s reason to believe that he could have a strong year as one of McCown’s most-targeted players.
Top cap charges for 2017:
- Muhammad Wilkerson, DL: $18,000,000
- Buster Skrine, CB: $8,500,000
- Brian Winters, G: $8,000,000
- James Carpenter, G: $6,805,000
- Josh McCown, QB: $6,500,000
- Darrelle Revis, CB: $6,000,000 (dead money)
- Leonard Williams, DL: $5,081,146
- Kelvin Beachum, T: $5,000,000
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: $5,000,000 (dead money)
Ultimately, the success of this year’s Jets team will not be determined by the win/loss column. If the Jets can see some quality performances from their younger players while winding up with their quarterback of the future in the 2018 draft, they will be better positioned for the future.
Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.