In what seems to be a recurring theme at One Jets Drive, New York will have plenty of money at its disposal once free agency kicks off in March.
The Jets rank 10th in projected Top 51 salary cap space with $55 million, according to Spotrac. That’s not nearly as much cap space as New York had entering free agency last year ($89.9 million), but it is still a hefty number for first-year general manager Joe Douglas to work with.
Last season, Mike Maccagnan spent most of Gang Green’s cap room on running back Le’Veon Bell ($52.5 million) and C.J. Mosley ($85 million). Douglas won’t be able to hand out massive deals like that this offseason, but he still has plenty of money to remain competitive for New York’s top free agent targets.
Patriots offensive lineman Joe Thuney figures to be at the top of Douglas’ wish list considering New York’s need for help on the line. Early reports indicate the Jets will push hard to secure Thuney’s signature, but it’s going to take a decent amount of cash to get the 27-year-old to leave New England for a division rival.
Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper also stands as a potential target for the Jets. Dallas is likely using its franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott, making Cooper all but certain to hit the open market. However, Cooper comes with a hefty price tag. According to Spotrac, the Alabama product is set to earn a contract near an average annual value of $20 million. If Douglas wants to add Cooper to the mix, he’ll have to pony up and make an offer that will take up a large chunk of Gang Green’s payroll.
Before Douglas and company can worry about setting up New York’s free agency big board, they will have some in-house decisions to make. Thirty-two Jets are set to hit free agency, with wide receiver Robby Anderson being the most expensive of the group. How Douglas elects to spend when re-signing players will directly impact how much money the Jets have to spend once free agency begins. Of course, there will also be some cap causalities as well.
Will New York enter free agency with $55 million to spend? Probably not. Either way, that number is certainly a good place to start.