Category: NFL Offseason

PFF: Jets’ DJ Reed is 23rd best outside CB in NFL

All things considered, the #Jets secondary could be coming together:

Pro Football Focus‘ position-by-position rankings from the offseason saw a New York Jets player land in a respectable position at outside cornerback.

In the head-to-head PFF list with other players from across the NFL, defensive back DJ Reed was slotted in at the No. 23 spot.

Overall, that landed Reed in their Tier 4 cornerback category, which translates to “good players with boom-or-bust tendencies.”

First, here’s the breakdown from the football analytics outlet:

Reed’s NFL career took off in Seattle at outside cornerback after he spent two years in San Francisco playing safety and nickel with limited reps. Since 2020, the 5-foot-9, 188-pounder ranks ninth in the NFL in outside coverage grade. Reed will now try to sustain that level of play in 2022 with the Jets, reuniting with former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh in a defense he has great familiarity with. While the 2018 fifth-rounder has the requisite length despite being on the shorter side, he still is scheme-limited and not a cornerback you want playing straight press-man. Reed will have to do a little bit more of that in New York, but it shouldn’t be too drastic to ruin his current trajectory.

Reed’s actually in some promising territory in Tier 4. Others in the same category include the Dallas Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs (21), Miami Dolphins’ Byron Jones (20) and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Shaquill Griffin (25).

If the Jets get 23rd best quality out of Reed, his three-year deal in New York could be a massive success. With the high expectations attached to rookie corner Sauce Gardner, the Jets might soon have one of the best young cornerback tandems roaming their secondary.

Reed, 25, played in Pete Carroll’s defense with the Seattle Seattle the past two seasons after starting his NFL career in Robert Saleh’s San Francisco 49ers unit from 2018-2019. The former fifth-round pick finished the 2021 season with the eighth-best PFF grade at 78.6.

Reed, 25,  finished with two interceptions each of the past two seasons with 17 passes defended in that time frame.

[lawrence-related id=682046,682040,682036]

The 5 biggest Jets storylines entering OTAs

Keep an eye on these five storylines with the Jets beginning OTAs on Monday:

The excitement of free agency and the 2022 NFL draft — both of which the Jets used to drastically upgrade their roster — are over, but the offseason isn’t.

Now, it’s time for OTAs.

The Jets begin OTAs on Monday and there are plenty of compelling storylines surrounding the return of team activity in Florham Park. New York’s depth chart and 53-man roster won’t be set after OTAs, but Robert Saleh will have a close eye on his personnel to formulate a preliminary pecking order and training camp roster for July.

Here are five storylines to keep an eye on as the Jets go through OTAs.

7 takeaways from Robert Saleh’s rookie minicamp press conference

Jets HC Robert Saleh discussed expectations for Gang Green’s neophytes at rookie minicamp on Friday:

Friday marked the beginning of a new chapter of Jets football, as the 2022 NFL draft class took the field in Florham Park for the first time for the beginning of rookie minicamp.

New York’s prized rookies — as well as undrafted free agents and tryout players — got to work for Robert Saleh and his coaching staff. Friday wasn’t exactly a day of action at One Jets Drive, but Gang Green’s second-year head coach still learned plenty about his neophytes and also those vying for a spot on the 90-man roster.

Here are the highlights from Saleh’s rookie minicamp press conference.

6 winners and losers from the Jets’ offseason so far

The Jets have been busy this offseason. That’s good news for a few incumbent members of the team. Others, however, may lose out:

The Jets have made a lot of moves this offseason. Some were to shore up positions of need. Others were to upgrade units that were awful last season.

All of those transactions have consequences – positive and negative – for incumbent players. Some, like a young quarterback, will benefit from the weapons New York added. And then there are declining veterans and unproven youngsters whose roles could be jeopardized.

With more moves to come in the draft, here’s a look at the Jets’ biggest winners and losers from the offseason so far — not counting the newcomers.

Every move the Jets have made so far this offseason

From splashy free agent signings to overlooked coaching hires, here is every move the Jets have made so far this offseason:

The Jets went into the offseason with a lot of needs and made a lot of necessary moves in an attempt to fix those problems before the 2022 NFL draft.

Some issues remain, but Joe Douglas spent noticeably in free agency, pouncing on team-friendly deals with players that perfectly fit the system and culture he and Robert Saleh are trying to build in their second year together. The Jets also had a few coaching changes, among other moves.

Here, we recap every move the Jets made this offseason.

Pursuit of Tyreek Hill, other WRs shows Jets prefer vet over rookie

The Jets have shown interest in several proven receivers, including Tyreek Hill. It seems like Joe Douglas preferred a veteran over drafting a rookie.

Joe Douglas wants a No.1 wide receiver on the Jets. But his recent attempts to add one suggest he didn’t want to do so through the 2022 draft.

The failed pursuit of Tyreek Hill was the Jets’ latest chance to land a veteran pass-catcher for second-year QB Zach Wilson. Douglas also expressed interest in Falcons WR Calvin Ridley before his suspension, as well as now-Browns WR Amari Cooper, per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, and still-Seahawks WR DK Metcalf, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

New York wouldn’t have inquired about so many veteran receivers – all of whom required or will require a new contract soon – if Douglas wasn’t in love with at least one rookie prospect. The Jets will have their pick of the best pass-catchers with the fourth and 10th overall selections this year. But by trying to trade for some established pass-catchers, Douglas let the rest of the league know the Jets are buyers looking to infuse the roster with experienced talent.

The strategy makes sense because the model worked in the past. Bills QB  Josh Allen put together his best season in the NFL in 2020 after Buffalo traded for Stefon Diggs and the team reached the AFC championship. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray earned a Pro Bowl nod after Arizona acquired DeAndre Hopkins the same year. The Cowboys went 7-2 and made the NFC Divisional round after trading for Cooper midway through the 2018 season.

But the Jets have missed their shot multiple times this offseason and it doesn’t look like there are many options left on the table before the draft. It’s not like the Jets threw out lowball proposals, either. Douglas offered the 35th, 38th and 69th picks to the Chiefs for Hill, a slightly more valuable package than the one Kansas City eventually accepted from the Dolphins after Hill decided he’d rather play for Miami than New York.

The Jets simply aren’t destination players are interested in yet. Hill flat-out said ‘No’ to New York, while Robert Woods told the Rams he wanted to be traded to the Titans. Free agents like Allen Robinson and JuJu Smith-Schuster signed with the Rams and Chiefs, respectively (though it’s unknown if the Jets negotiated with either free agent) and others like Mike Williams and Chris Godwin re-upped with their current clubs after getting the franchise tag. Davante Adams would have been a major catch, but the Raiders offered a ton to pry him from the Packers and also had Adams’ college QB under center.

So now it looks as though the Jets will have to fall back on the draft. This isn’t a bad thing; it just doesn’t look like that’s what Douglas intended.

There are plenty of good options in the first and second rounds. USC’s Drake London and Ohio State’s Garett Wilson are likely top-10 picks, while secondary options like OSU’s Chris Olave, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks and Penn State’s Jahan Dotson are possibilities as well.

Or, perhaps Douglas takes another swing at a veteran receiver in free agency or on the trade block. Jarvis Landry, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. are all still free agents, though they may also be looking to join contenders rather than the rebuilding Jets. The Jets could ask the Titans about WR A.J. Brown before he demands a new contract, but that sounds like a pipe dream despite the fact Brown and Jets’ WR Elijah Moore are close.

But Douglas proved this week that he’s willing to take the swing – even if he misses.

[pickup_prop id=”13789″]

[listicle id=679309]

Takeaways from Robert Saleh’s press conference

See what Jets HC Robert Saleh had to say ahead of the NFL draft.

Robert Saleh sounded excited for his first draft as an NFL head coach.

He spoke to reporters Thursday a week before the draft and shook off the idea the Jets will wallow in misery again. He also praised his offensive staff and showed appreciation for what Joe Douglas has already done to reshape the Jets for the 2021 season.

The Jets still have a long way to go, but Saleh remains positive about the team’s future as it heads into a pivotal draft.

Here are eight takeaways from his press conference.

Report: Jets among teams linked to Russell Wilson-Seahawks trade rumors

Could the Jets and Seahawks team up for another blockbuster trade this offseason?

Could the Jets and Seahawks team up for another blockbuster trade this offseason?

No such deal is imminent, but a report from The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks states that Russell Wilson’s camp has talked to the Seahawks about potential trade destinations. Those landing spots include the Jets, Dolphins, Saints and Raiders, according to the report.

The story dives into Wilson’s rift with the Seahawks, which has taken center stage since the season ended. Wilson was critical of Seattle’s offensive line and lack of protection the day after the Super Bowl, but The Athletic reports that his frustrations began to grow during the season.

Wilson is not the first disgruntled superstar quarterback the Jets have been linked to this offseason. Deshaun Watson rumors have mentioned Gang Green as much as any other team as he looks to force his way out of Houston. The Jets, meanwhile, still haven’t made a decision on Sam Darnold’s future.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently reported that Joe Douglas and company will wait until after they fully evaluate the rookie quarterback class before making a decision on Darnold. Does that change if players like Watson or Wilson become available?

The Jets are among the few teams that could pull off a trade for either player. They have an abundance of cap space to take on their massive contracts and cap hits. And, thanks in part to last year’s Jamal Adams deal with Seattle, Douglas also has a stockpile of early draft picks at his disposal.

Maybe some of those picks will head back to the West Coast if Wilson ultimately leaves the Seahawks.

[listicle id=654115]

Report: Jets ‘probably not’ among teams Deshaun Watson is intrigued by

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Jets are “probably not” among the teams Deshaun Watson is intrigued by. 

Another day, another Deshaun Watson rumor.

Reports about the disgruntled Texans quarterback have been a near-daily occurrence since Houston’s season ended. Watson wants out. The Texans say he’s not going anywhere.

That could, of course, just be posturing on the team’s part. Houston’s insistence that Watson is staying put certainly hasn’t stopped trade speculation, and the Jets are among the teams that have been frequently linked to the superstar due to their abundance of draft capital and cap space. Watson, however, has a no-trade clause and would have to sign off on a deal. And according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Jets are “probably not” among the teams that Watson is intrigued by.

Rather, Fowler said the Broncos and 49ers are among the franchises at the top of Watson’s wish-list. Fowler also mentioned the Dolphins, another team with lots of draft capital, as a likelier option than the Jets.

Fowler went on to say that Texans GM Nick Caserio is “dug in” when it comes to not trading Watson. Time will tell if the exec is able to stand his ground. If not, the Jets should certainly make a run at Watson, even if they’re not his top destination.

Jamal Adams just the 8th player traded for 2 first-round picks since 2000

Former Jets safety Jamal Adams became only the eighth player to be swapped for two first-round picks on Saturday.

Jamal Adams joined an exclusive group when the Jets dealt him to the Seahawks on Saturday.

New York received two first-round picks in exchange for Adams, making him only the eighth player since 2000 to be flipped for two first-round selections. Among those eight players are Pro Bowlers, All-Pros and a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

With Adams taking his talents from the Big Apple to Seattle, here is a look at the other players who have been swapped for two first-round picks in the last 20 years.

Joey Galloway

Photo by Matt Rourke/Getty Images

The Seahawks have become known for trading their first-round picks in exchange for veteran talent in recent years. At the beginning of the century, though, they were on the receiving end of a large haul for the services of wide receiver Joey Galloway.

Galloway starred for the Seahawks for the first three years of his NFL career but eventually became disgruntled with his contract. A contract dispute and holdout that lasted 101 days ensued and cost Galloway half of the 1999 season. That was the final straw for Seattle, as it sent him to the Cowboys in exchange for first-round picks in the 2000 and 2001 NFL drafts.

Dallas gave Galloway a contract that made him the second-highest paid receiver in the league upon his arrival, but he never quite lived up to the deal. The Seahawks, meanwhile, used one of the two first-round picks the Cowboys gave them on Shaun Alexander, who went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler and MVP in 2005.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7