Ranking all 32 teams (including the Jets) by cap space going into 2024

A listing of each team’s cap space to get a sense of where the Jets currently stand before getting the work begins in the offseason.

The offseason means fans get to take a hard look at what a team’s salary cap situation looks like at the outset and how much room they have to work with for free agency and the NFL draft. Obviously, the more room the better but we also need to keep in mind that restructures can and will happen to create more space. Teams must be under the salary cap — currently projected to be around $242 million — by the start of the new league year in March. This is just a starting point for the Jets and all teams.

This will be a list of each team and how much cap space they are currently looking at as we enter the offseason. Again, just a starting point but a good starting point. This will give you a sense of where the Jets stand compared to other teams nearing the end of January. All numbers of courtesy of Over the Cap.

Aaron Rodgers says it was important to attend Jets OTAs

Rodgers really wanted to be around for OTAs

The New York Jets have begun the next phase of organized team activities this week, which include being on the field for actual football work. Among the players in attendance is their new star quarterback, No. 8, Aaron Rodgers.

That seems trivial and expected, but this is also a quarterback that, in recent years, wasn’t much of a member of OTAs with the Green Bay Packers. Now he’s a Jet and he’s excited and ready to take part in all aspects with his new team. He spoke to the media Tuesday and talked about why he felt it was important to attend OTAs this season.

“When you’re in the same offense for a long time, the offseason is really for the young players,” Rodgers said. “With a new offense being my first year here I really wanted to be around for at least some of the beginning things to just let them know how I like to do things, like I said, some of the code words, little adjustments, some of the ways I see the game, sparking that conversation.”

Needless to say, things seem off to a strong start with the camaraderie between Rodgers and his new teammates. The hope for Jets fans is that this early connection becomes something great by the time the season rolls around.

Dates for Jets’ offseason program set

Dates for Jets’ offseason program set

It’s hard to believe, but offseason programs across the NFL are right around the corner. The dates are set for the Jets for their offseason program.

The Jets will return to action on April 17 for the first portion of the offseason program, which is limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only. This phase will last for two weeks.

Phase Two follows and that will last for three weeks. Teams can begin on-field workouts but only individual and group work. There is no live contact and no team offense vs. team defense allowed during this phase.

Phase Three is the organized team practice activity (OTAs) and mini-camp. There is still no live contact but now teams can begin 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

For the Jets, those dates will be May 22-23, May 25, May 30-31. June 2, June 5-6 and June 8-9 The Jets will hold their mandatory minicamp from June 13-15.

After that, the Jets will have about six weeks off before kicking off training camp in late July. They’ll be able to start camp earlier this year because they will play in the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 3 in Canton, Ohio against the Cleveland Browns.

For reference, the Jaguars and Raiders opened training camp on July 20 last season, so the Jets could open camp somewhere around July 19 this season.

Jets restructure John Franklin-Myers’ contract, save $4.8 million

Jets with another contract restructure

The Jets continued their cap maneuvering Monday night as they restructured the contract of defensive end John Franklin-Myers, converting $6 million of his base salary into a signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates. The Jets saved $4.8 million in salary cap space as a result.

Franklin-Myers was set to make $11.4 million in base salary in 2023. This move allows him to get that $6 million up front and will still have a base salary of $5.4 million. The move adds $2 million to his cap hits for 2024 and 2025 but it does drop his cap hit for this season to $7.6 million.

Jets offseason primer: Cornerback

Let’s be honest, the Jets don’t have to do much at the cornerback position. But is there a draft prospect late you like?

If there’s one position that has almost no worry heading into the offseason, it’s the cornerback position. Let’s take a quick look at the position group heading into free agency and how much work the Jets really have to do in the offseason.

Robert Saleh gives some insight into how the Jets are approaching the offseason

Robert Saleh gives some insight into how the Jets are approaching the offseason

Jets head coach Robert Saleh spoke to the media (via Zoom) for the first time since talking about the hiring of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in January. One of the things he touched on quick was some of the ways the Jets are handling the offseason and going through the process of finding a quarterback.

“It’s like everything else. Right now, we’re studying our guys, we’re going through free agency, we’re looking at the draft, so there’s a lot of overlap with regards to what we’re doing in our day-to-day process.”

“This morning, we’re going over some offensive scheme. In the afternoon, it’ll be defensive scheme. While we’re doing offense, defense is working on free agency and the draft and vice versa. It’s just trying to divvy up the time and make sure that we’re going through our normal process day-in and day-out. I guess you get used to it after all this time.”

Part of that process has been doing their due diligence and then some on quarterback Derek Carr, whom the Jets have now met with twice, including during the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Due to tampering rules, Saleh can’t talk about Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Saleh did say the team’s meeting with Carr went great. Unfortunately, Saleh could not be a part of the meeting. He was supposed to fly to Indianapolis but caught the stomach bug.

The next step in the process, presumably, is waiting for a decision from Rodgers and if he’ll play next season at all and whether the Packers are going to keep him or trade him.

Free agency starts March 15 though the Jets do still have some decisions they could make before then regarding their in-house free agents such as linebacker Quincy Williams and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, to name a few, as well as the salary cap decision to defensive end Carl Lawson, who is owed a non-guaranteed $15 million base salary next season. It’s going to quite an interesting offseason in Florham Park.

ESPN report: Jets told Derek Carr he could be a ‘first-ballot Hall of Famer’ in New York

The Jets sure are trying to make Derek Carr feel good

The Jets brought in free-agent quarterback Derek Carr for a visit over the weekend and the more information coming out about the meeting, the more it sounds like an episode of Shark Tank. The Jets are the entrepreneurs trying to impress Carr aka Mr. Wonderful (Kevin O’Leary).

According to a report from ESPN’s Dianna Russini, the Jets told Carr during their meeting that they believe if Carr comes to New York and wins that he “could be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

Talk about trying to puff someone up. Carr is a fine quarterback, there’s no doubt about that and he would be a major upgrade at the quarterback position. But this sure is quite the presentation tactic.

Plus, we know the Jets are willing to wait for a decision on Aaron Rodgers. One could make the argument that means the Jets are just blowing smoke to make Carr feel better about potentially being a second option for the Jets. On the other hand, Carr is likely willing to take his time as well and figure out all his options before making his own decision.

Nonetheless, the Jets are certainly making this early part of the offseason at least very entertaining.

Key 2023 offseason dates

Key 2023 offseason dates

With Super Bowl LVII in the books and the Kansas City Chiefs having their championship parade, every team is now officially 0-0 as the offseason is fully underway. Things move quickly in the NFL as we are less than two weeks away from the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There are a lot of things happening soon so here’s a quick rundown of some key offseason dates in the NFL.

February 21 – March 7

This is the timeframe in which teams can use the franchise or transition tags on a player that is set to become a free agent. The Jets likely won’t use either tag but one key player that teams will be watching for is Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

February 25

The HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. A college all-star game featuring the top draft prospects from HBCU schools that will be broadcast live on NFL Network.

February 28 – March 6

The NFL Scouting Combine takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is one of the last big events before the NFL Draft in April. The Combine is set to be in Indianapolis in 2024 but after that, it’s anyone’s guess where it goes, or even if the Combine will even continue in its current format.

March 7

Along with the end of the franchise tag window, this is the day when College Pro Days begin, typically the last chance for a prospect to impress teams other than the visits a team may set up with a player.

March 13 – March 15

The “legal tampering” period, if you will. These are the three days before the league year and free agency officially begin where teams can talk to agents of soon-to-be free agents.

March 15

At 4:00 p.m. eastern time, the 2023 league year and free agency officially begin.

March 26 – March 29

The Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

April 17

The day the Jets and other teams with returning head coaches can begin offseason workout programs. Teams with new head coaches — Broncos, Cardinals, Colts, Panthers and Texans — can begin workouts two weeks prior on April 3.

April 19

The last day teams can bring draft prospects into their facility. The last day to do so at any location is April 27.

April 27 – April 29

The 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, Missouri.

May 1

The deadline for teams to exercise their Fifth-Year Options on their 2020 first-round selections. For the Jets, that would be Mekhi Becton.

May 5 – May 8 or May 12 – May 15

Teams can hold their rookie minicamps on either of these two time periods, the two weekends following the draft.

May 22 – May 24

The NFL’s Spring League Meeting

New York Jets 7-round mock draft 1.0

New York Jets 7-round mock draft 1.0

The offseason has officially begun for the New York Jets, meaning mock drafts will be all the rage up until the Jets actually make their selection on April 27 in Kansas City.

The Jets will have the No. 13 pick in the first round, a good opportunity to land another strong player to join what has so far been a very good 2022 class.

Mock Draft Monday is always a fun exercise across the interwebs, so let’s bring that back here, starting with a seven-round mock draft using the simulator from Pro Football Focus. Let’s get started and be sure to drop your mock draft results as well.

B/R: New York Jets won’t compete for playoffs until 2023

B/R: #Jets won’t compete for playoffs until 2023:

The New York Jets have a playoff drought that just seems to be growing and growing.

Bleacher Report thinks that trend will continue… at least for one more year.

B/R broke down the NFL’s playoff longest droughts. The Jets are squarely in that discussion, holding a league-high 11 season departure from the postseason.

While B/R does not predict the 2022 postseason for New York, the ensuing year isn’t off the table in their mind. Naturally, tons of that has to do with the man under center in quarterback Zach Wilson.

Here’s B/R’s lookahead at the Jets’ postseason possibilities as the outlet “sells” the idea of Gang Green cracking the playoffs for now:

Will the Jets get back into the playoff picture in 2022? We aren’t buying it just yet.

They still have a young roster that is relying on key players on their rookie contracts, including three first-round picks in 2022 and second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. Head coach Robert Saleh also needs to show progress in his second season.

The bar is particularly high in the AFC and AFC East. Having the Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills within the division is a major roadblock, and the New England Patriots are no pushover as long as Bill Belichick is on the sidelines. The Jets aren’t even the best young team in the AFC East right now, as the Miami Dolphins have more playmakers on both sides of the ball.

The Jets have yet to reach the “winning” part of their rebuilding process. Their next logical step is to become an annoyingly feisty team to play as their youth develops.

They’ll have higher expectations and the possibility of a playoff appearance in 2023 if Wilson becomes at least a league-average quarterback between now and then.

By some accounts, the Jets have had a successful 2022 offseason. But winning during the spring and summer doesn’t translate into victories on the field.

Especially in the NFL, it takes time.

If Wilson and other younger options on the team, such as first-round rookies Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson can take steps this year, it would make 2023 look a lot more likely.

New York head coach Robert Saleh has said it himself all offseason that last year’s rookies already look a lot better and more prepared. Giving the even newer faces another year to develop might pay off in a big way.

But B/R isn’t selling everyone. If you’re looking for teams that could blaze the postseason trail for the Jets in 2022, B/R thinks these clubs could be ending their playoff droughts next season:

  • Broncos (6 years)
  • Dolphins (5 years)

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