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Offseason In Review: New York Jets

September 2nd, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

After hitting on three foundational pieces in Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall during the 2022 draft, the Jets were ready to contend in 2023. The organization immediately addressed its QB woes, bringing Aaron Rodgers (and friends) to New York last offseason. Despite not having put together a winning season since 2015, optimism was unusually high among the Gang Green faithful.

We all know what happened next. Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury after only four offensive snaps, and the Jets once again had to deal with dismal quarterback play throughout the 2023 campaign. Despite Zach Wilson‘s best worst efforts, the Jets admirably stumbled to seven wins.

Considering the Jets’ all-in approach, 2023 was undoubtedly a lost season. Fortunately, it wasn’t all lost in New York. The organization was still able to identify some key roster holes, and it used the 2024 offseason to act accordingly. By adding key players via free agency and the draft, the Jets may have set themselves up for even more success than envisioned a year ago.

Coaching/front office:

  • Retained head coach Robert Saleh, GM Joe Douglas
  • Parted ways with assistant GM Rex Hogan

Thanks to the efforts of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, there would have been optimism heading into 2023 even if the Jets hadn’t acquired a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Unfortunately, the team’s offensive improvements proved short-lived, and the Jets’ 7-10 record in 2023 was once again a reflection of the offense.

With the organization again failing to make the playoffs, both the head coach and the GM found themselves on the hot seat. Of course, even the most basic context would indicate that 2023’s failures couldn’t entirely be attributed on the duo, and Woody Johnson seemed to share that sentiment when he announced that he’d retain his HC/GM tandem. Reports of paranoia from within the organization hint that there could be cracks in the foundation, but ownership is willing to give the franchise architectures at least one more shot (this time with a healthy Aaron Rodgers).

One storyline to watch in 2024 will surround the handling of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Following a failed stint as the Broncos’ head coach, the former Packers OC teamed up with Rodgers again for the 2023 campaign. When the franchise QB went down, Hackett faced a lot of the blame for the Jets’ offensive inadequacies, leading Saleh to explore a hire to whom Hackett would cede at least some authority. No hire emerged, and while Rodgers again vouched for the embattled OC, Hackett certainly joins the other central Jets decision-makers on the hot seat.

Extensions and restructures:

C.J. Mosley did not have the best start in New York after inking a then-record-setting five-year, $85MM deal in 2019, but the former Ravens draftee has since reclaimed his place as one of the NFL’s top linebackers. With no guaranteed money remaining on the player’s contract, the Jets committed fully to the linebacker for the 2024 campaign while also providing an option for 2025. Of course, this brought a reduction in AAV from Mosley’s previous $17MM-per-year number. He was not the only accomplished linebacker to accept a salary reduction in exchange for guarantees; the Jaguars proceeded this way with Foye Oluokun as well.

Mosley has strung together back-to-back 150-plus-tackle slates and collected his first All-Pro honor — a second-team selection — in 2022. Thanks to the offseason extension, he’ll continue to roll in a high-end tandem with Quincy Williams for at least one more season.

Trades:

The Jets appeared to have it all figured out when they acquired Haason Reddick from the Eagles. The organization had just let Bryce Huff walk to Philly on a lucrative deal, and with Reddick no longer in the Eagles’ plans, the Jets swooped in and acquired the veteran. Unfortunately, Reddick decided to play hardball in pursuit of a contract extension, leading to one of the organization’s biggest offseason headaches in recent years.

The impending free agent still has not reported to his new squad, and considering the Jets’ refusal to negotiate until Reddick actually shows up to team facilities, it is seeming increasingly likely that the holdout will extend into the regular season.

A two-time Pro Bowler who has compiled the fourth-most sacks during the 2020s (50.5) recently took the drastic step of requesting a trade out of New York, but the Jets would be hard-pressed to find a suitor considering the player’s contract demands.

Reddick, 30 this month, has sought a deal in the $25-$28MM-per-year range, while the Jets offered him a below-market number before acquiring him via trade. Reddick had expected the Jets to revisit extension talks, but the team wanted to gauge his fit first. This led to a staredown and the eventual trade request. The Jets were rumored to be ready to adapt Reddick’s 2024 earnings via sweeteners, but the linebacker is seeking term on any extension. Usually we’d wait until one side blinks, but it sounds like neither a stubborn Reddick nor a stubborn Jets front office are willing to relent.

The Jets were not done making trades, with the organization finally ripping off the human-sized Band-Aid that was quarterback Zach Wilson. There was once hope that the former No. 2 overall pick would help lead a rebuilt Jets squad to the promised land. After struggling as a rookie and failing as a sophomore, the Jets pivoted to veteran Aaron Rodgers as their new QB savior. Still, the organization was confident that Wilson could be a future contributor while learning under Rodgers’ tutelage. Instead, Wilson was thrust right back into the lineup.

Wilson’s 60.1% completing and 1.9% interception rates in 2023 both marked career-best figures, but his 4-7 showing as a starter (which included an eventual refusal to move back into the starting lineup, a charge Wilson denied) spelled the end of his tenure in New York. The Jets benched Wilson a grand total of three times. It appears he is headed into this season as the Broncos’ third-string quarterback.

While the Jets have generally used free agency and the draft to address their offensive line, the team did swing a trade for a starting-caliber tackle. The Jets acquired old friend Morgan Moses, who spent the 2021 campaign in New York. Since then, the veteran had a two-year stint in Baltimore. Pro Football Focus basically ranked Moses as a top-15 tackle between those two campaigns. One of the NFL’s longest-tenured tackle starters, Moses will line up on the right side of the line for the Jets, but the team’s newfound depth means the veteran will have to perform to keep his spot.

The Jets moved on from John Franklin-Myers following a four-year pairing. The defensive lineman turned into one of the team’s most reliable pass rushers in recent years, with Franklin-Myers collecting 14.5 sacks between 2021 and 2023. Reddick’s incoming salary represented a key reason why the Jets bailed on Franklin-Myers, a three-year starter for the team. The Broncos, however, reworked the versatile D-lineman’s contract and are prepared to use him as a starter in their 3-4 scheme.

Free agency additions:

With Zach Wilson failing as the starter, the Jets quickly realized they should have rostered a better contingency option for Aaron Rodgers. So, the team went out and acquired one of the top backup quarterbacks on the market, handing Taylor more than $8MM in guaranteed money to (hopefully) sit on the bench.

Taylor has not started double-digit games since the 2017 campaign, but the journeyman QB has garnered 15 combined starts over the past six years. Over that span, he has gone 6-8-1 as a starter while completing 59.9% of his passes for 3,079 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. While the Jets obviously prefer for Rodgers to be healthy, all wouldn’t be completely lost — at least, compared to last year’s plan — if Taylor is forced into the lineup.

While the team’s QB play last season didn’t help the receiving game, the Jets were still able to identify a lack of high-quality depth behind WR1 Garrett Wilson. With Allen Lazard failing to live up to his contract without his familiar QB, the Jets pivoted to a new WR2 in Williams. An ACL tear limited the wideout to only three appearances in 2023, but Williams isn’t far removed from a four-year stretch with the Chargers where he averaged more than 900 receiving yards per season. The soon-to-be 30-year-old pass catcher might not immediately see a full workload, but it shouldn’t be long until he emerges as one of Rodgers’ preferred targets.

The Jets also used free agency to address their offensive line needs, with the front office snagging a pair of veterans. Smith represented one of the biggest names and one of the biggest upsides on the market, but it’s been almost a decade since he made it through a regular season unscathed (including 2020 and 2022 campaigns that were all but wiped out). The All-Decade blocker did manage to get into 13 games with the Cowboys last season, earning second-team All-Pro honors while grading out as PFF’s fourth-best tackle.

The signing represents a low-risk, high-reward move for the Jets, and the team did an admirable job of adding more OL depth to cover for the longtime Cowboy’s injury issues. At guard, the team added former Raiders draft pick in Simpson. The lineman fell out of favor in Las Vegas, but he somewhat rebounded with the Ravens in 2023, finishing as PFF’s 49th guard among 79 qualifiers.

Defensively, Kinlaw represents some upside up front. The former 49ers first-round pick was once coached by Robert Saleh, so there’s some hope that the Jets may be able to get the most out of the soon-to-be 27-year-old. Fotu should also provide some depth on the defensive line, although the veteran will miss the first chunk of the season while sitting on short-term injured reserve.

Re-signings:

With the majority of the Jets’ key players either signed to lucrative deals or rookie pacts, the team did not have many tough decisions when it came to retaining its own free agents. The team ultimately didn’t steal any headlines with its re-signings but did hold on to a handful of players who should contribute in 2024.

On defense, the Jets made sure to retain their safety depth…although they didn’t receive the longest look at the duo in 2023. Clark was a notable acquisition last offseason, obtained via trade from the Ravens, but the veteran suffered a torn ACL during OTAs that sidelined him for the entire campaign. Over his final two seasons in Baltimore, Clark earned high marks from Pro Football Focus for his work on run defense, although his coverage skills left some to be desired. The team also held on to rotational safety and special-teamer Ashtyn Davis, who started five of his 17 appearances during his fourth season in New York.

The Jets also managed to retain their special teams tandem. Greg The Leg has spent the past two seasons with the Jets, connecting on 86.7% of his field goal attempts (including 92.1% of his kicks in 2023). Thomas Morstead will return to the punting game following a 2023 season where he led the NFL in punts (99) and punting yards (4,831).

Notable losses:

The Jets entered the offseason determined to improve their offensive line, and that meant moving on from a long list of incumbents.. Becton headlined the list of departures, although that wasn’t because of his on-field contributions. The former 11th-overall pick had a pair of lost seasons during his four-year stint in New York. To his credit, he started all 16 of his appearances in 2023, but that only resulted in him ranking 66th among 81 offensive tackle qualifiers on Pro Football Focus. Despite his injury-riddled past, Becton is on track to open the season as an Eagles guard starter.

McGovern contributed during his four years in New York, starting each of his 55 appearances. However, he already wasn’t in the team’s future plans following the selection of Joe Tippmann in the second round of the 2023 draft, and McGovern showed some signs of decline last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

High hopes were in place for Laken Tomlinson when the Jets added the longtime 49ers starter in 2022, with the veteran guard having been ranked favorably by Pro Football Focus. However, that performance dropped in two years in New York, with Tomlinson ranking in the 50s among guard between 2022 and 2023. Tomlinson made his way to the Seahawks on a veteran-minimum deal.

On defense, the team watched Huff take a lucrative offer from Philly, leading to the front office’s pivot to Haason Reddick. Huff was one of the organization’s most successful scouting stories. The defensive lineman broke out with 10 sacks in 2023, but his rotational role meant the front office didn’t want to break the bank to keep him long-term. Whitehead is gone from the secondary after starting every game for the Jets between 2022 and 2023. The veteran consistently ranked as a middle-of-the-road safety, per PFF, and the Jets apparently felt comfortable rolling with a safety corps consisting of Chuck Clark, Tony Adams, and Ashtyn Davis. Whitehead is back with the Buccaneers, set to continue as a starter.

Draft:

The Jets did not only use free agency and trades to address their O-line weakness. After missing out on an OL during the 2023 first round, the team landed on Penn State’s Olu Fashanu with the 11th pick in the 2024 draft.

At 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, Fashanu already had a first-round grade in 2023 before surprising most pundits by sticking in school for one more year. The rookie doesn’t have an immediate path to playing time, but considering the injury history of Tyron Smith and the age concerns of Morgan Moses, it might not take long for Fashanu to work his way into the lineup.

The Jets didn’t necessarily need to address the rest of their offense in the draft, but the team still used subsequent picks to add depth at the skill positions. Malachi Corley hauled in 22 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Western Kentucky, and while the organization is high on the likes of Xavier Gipson, the rookie wideout could quickly emerge as the team’s WR3. It’s a similar sentiment at running back. While Israel Abanikanda was a fan favorite as a rookie, the team still used a fourth-round pick on Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen. The running back is coming off three straight 1,000-yard seasons, and he provides some high-upside insurance behind Breece Hall.

Later in the draft, Qwan’Tez Stiggers could provide some intriguing upside. The rookie may be the team’s top backup at outside CB behind Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, and reports from camp indicate that the Jets won’t keep the first-year player buried on the bench.

Other:

Alijah Vera-Tucker is one of the team’s lone holdovers on the offensive line, although he’s followed the organization’s recent track record of being on the sideline more than the field. Despite Vera-Tucker being limited to 12 combined games between 2022 and 2023, the Jets still felt comfortable committing to the lineman for the 2025 campaign. Pro Football Focus has also been fond of Vera-Tucker’s performance, but staying on the field is obviously half the battle.

The team shuttled Vera-Tucker to right tackle in each of the past two seasons, but after adding Moses and Fashanu, it feels comfortable keeping the 2021 first-rounder at his natural guard spot.

Top 10 cap charges for 2024:

  1. Quinnen Williams, DT: $20.4MM
  2. Aaron Rodgers, QB: $17.1MM
  3. D.J. Reed, CB: $15.6MM
  4. Allen Lazard, WR: $12.1MM
  5. Tyler Conklin, TE: $9.3MM
  6. Sauce Gardner, CB: $9.1MM
  7. C.J. Mosley, LB: $7.2MM
  8. Quincy Williams, LB: $7.1MM
  9. Garrett Wilson, WR: $5.6MM
  10. Morgan Moses, RT: $5.5MM

Last season obviously did not go as planned for the Jets, but the organization deserves credit for going out and patching up clear holes during the 2024 offseason. Those moves have set the Jets up for even more success during the upcoming campaign, and the sky is truly the limit for the first time in years.

On the flip side, the organization is obviously aiming higher than simply making its first playoff appearance in more than a decade. In the somewhat-likely event the Jets do crash and burn during the postseason, there could be some major changes, particularly with their unpredictable quarterback and their white-knuckled HC/GM duo. But ownership gave Douglas and Saleh the chance to take a swing with Rodgers on the field. After building strong defenses together, the tandem will rely on the four-time MVP — in a season during which the NFL’s oldest active quarterback will turn 41 — to save their jobs.

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