Jets Notes: Anderson, McCarthy, Shell

Robby Anderson can be kept away from unrestricted free agency for one more year. The Jets wide receiver will be a restricted free agent next spring, and although he wants an extension, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes the expectation is the Jets apply a second-round tender to the talented wideout. That would cost them approximately $3.12MM. Due to Anderson’s issues off the field, the Jets will continue to monitor him as a long-term investment, per Mehta. An RFA tender allows them to do so at a relatively cheap rate.

Additionally, Mehta reports the Eagles‘ deadline offer for Anderson was a fourth-round pick. The Jets declined, and the Eagles surrendered a third-rounder for Golden Tate. Although the Jets are more solidified at quarterback than they have been in many years, this season has not gone as well for Anderson as the Josh McCown year did. After a 941-receiving-yard, seven-touchdown 2017, Anderson is at 541 yards and five scores entering Week 16.

Here is the latest out of Jets headquarters:

• Anderson figures to be part of the Jets’ skill-position corps in 2019, but there figure to be some changes. Sam Darnold does not appear to have a cornerstone weapon among this contingent yet, and Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes the Jets need to use some of their $100MM-plus in projected cap space to bring in better weapons for their young passer. Beyond Le’Veon Bell, whose path may well lead to the Big Apple, Mark Ingram and Tevin Coleman are big-name running backs who are months from free agency. The wideout situation figures to involve Tate, though he will be 31 next season, along with John Brown, Tyrell Williams, Randall Cobb and Jamison Crowder. The Jets also have Jermaine Kearse and Quincy Enunwa playing on expiring deals.
• As for who will be coaching this to-be-determined Darnold supporting cast, Mike McCarthy should be atop Gang Green’s target list, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. McCarthy’s experience as a head coach and background with offense should endear the Jets to the longtime Packers coach. The Jets have opted for defensive-minded coaches for decades — Bill Parcells, Al Groh, Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles, dating back to 1997 — and are probably leaning toward changing course.
• Davis Webb dressed for his first game as a Jet on Saturday against the Texans. He remains behind Darnold and McCown on the depth chart, but due to injuries elsewhere, the Jets opted to make Webb part of their 46-man game-day contingent as a reward for solid practice play, Bowles said (via Mehta, on Twitter). With McCown winding down his age-39 season, Webb could possibly be a candidate to be Darnold’s backup in 2019.
• Brandon Shell will head to IR because of a knee injury, but the Jets expect their right tackle starter to return by OTAs, Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com notes. Shell’s precise injury is not known, but Stypulkoski adds he did not tear an ACL or MCL. A full-time New York starter for the past two seasons, Shell is under contract through 2019.