Jets free agent profile: What to do with QB David Fales?

Here’s how the Jets should approach David Fales’ free agency situation.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

The Jets have 32 players set to hit the open market this offseason. Some don’t figure to factor into New York’s plans for 2020, while it’s safe to assume the Jets would like to keep others around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do in his first offseason on the job.

David Fales was signed by the Jets after Trevor Siemian tore ligaments in his ankle and was ruled out for the season. Fales was Luke Falk’s backup until Sam Darnold returned from mononucleosis. He played in two games during the season, but didn’t record any stats. Let’s take a look at how the Jets should approach Fales’ free agency in another edition of Jets Wire’s free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

Fales is familiar with Adam Gase’s offense as the two spent time together in both Miami, Chicago and now New York. He hasn’t played many games in the system though, only playing in three games prior to this season.

He’s also a veteran player in the NFL. Fales just completed his fifth season in the league out of San Jose State. His familiarity with the offense and him being a veteran could be why the Jets keep him.

Cons of keeping him

While Fales does know the offense, his skills at the quarterback position are just not that good to play in case Darnold were to be injured.

The Jets need to get a capable backup quarterback who can come in and at least keep them competitive. Fales has yet to prove in his five-year career that he can do that as he’s been on six different teams.

The verdict

Fales may be best buddies with Gase, but that can’t be the reason the Jets let him stay with the team. It’s time to get a backup quarterback who has some starting experience in the NFL and knows what he’s doing when he steps on the field.

The only way the Jets could let Fales stick around is on their practice squad. But if the Jets’ plan is to break camp next season with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, then Fales shouldn’t be included.

Bilal Powell wants to retire with Jets

Bilal Powell would like to retire as a New York Jet.

Bilal Powell hopes Green and White are the only colors he wears during his NFL career.

Powell was on WFAN’s Joe and Evan show Thursday and discussed his future in the league. Powell has spent his entire nine-year career with the Jets and wants to continue his career with them in 2020 and beyond.

“I just stay in my lane,” Powell said. “I sit back and let things happen and unfold. I want to retire a Jet, that’s the biggest thing for me.”

The 31-year-old is an unrestricted free agent for the second straight offseason. After the 2018 season, the Jets weren’t sure if he was healthy enough to play again, as he suffered a serious neck injury that put his career in jeopardy. However, Powell was cleared to resume play and the Jets brought him back in June on a one-year deal.

Powell has told his teammates that other teams have reached out to him in the past, but he’s committed to the Jets for the long run.

“For me, I just like to sit put,” Powell said. “I had a couple opportunities to leave around the times that I was a free agent in previous years, but I wanted to stick around and see this thing unfold.”

The longest-tenured Jet has run for 3,675 yards in his career to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns. As a receiver, Powell has 1,600 yards and five touchdowns. Last season was one of Powell’s worst in his career as he only ran for 229 yards. It was his lowest-rushing total since 2014.

Robby Anderson believes Jets want him back in New York

The Jets have told free agent wide receiver Robby Anderson that they’d like to re-sign him.

The New York Jets are getting a head start on trying to keep their own free agents.

Robby Anderson spoke to the media at the Miami Convention Center on Wednesday and discussed his upcoming free agency. Anderson has made it publicly known that he’d like to stay with the Jets for years to come, but it wasn’t known if the Jets felt the same way. Now, according to Anderson, the Jets have made their intentions known.

“I know they’ve communicated that they do want me back,” Anderson said Wednesday, according to Newsday. “So, we’ve just got to see how it plays out.”

The specifics of a new deal have yet to be discussed, though. However, Anderson is seeking between $13-15 million annually, according to a previous report from The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

“I don’t think they’ve gotten to numbers,” Anderson said, “but I know obviously they want to be at the table, and I think they’re planning to be at the table to keep me in-house.”

Anderson said at the end of the season that he would keep his options open in free agency and that he has no plans of giving the Jets a hometown discount.

The fourth-year wideout out of Temple had one of the best seasons of his career in 2019. He recorded 52 catches for 779 yards and five touchdowns. Most of that came at the end of the season when the Jets offense started to come together.

If Joe Douglas can lock Anderson up before he hits the open market, it would be one less thing the general manager has to worry about during free agency.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with CB Maurice Canady?

Jets Wire evaluates whether or not New York should re-sign impending free-agent cornerback Maurice Canady.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Maurice Canady joined the Jets in November after spending three years with the Baltimore Ravens. The 25-year-old cornerback was a somewhat pleasant surprise for New York, as he was relatively solid down the stretch. Is that enough to warrant a return in 2020? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

When the Jets claimed Canady off waivers from the Ravens, he was viewed as a depth piece for an already banged up cornerback unit. The acquisition proved to be far more impactful for New York, though, as Canady earned himself a spot in Gregg Williams’ defensive back rotation.

Canady wasn’t a world-beater lining up mostly in the nickel, but he was a solid contributor. When Brian Poole wasn’t on the field, Canady made the most of his opportunities with high-motor play and fierce physicality.

Cons of keeping him

Canady is one of those players who balls out in short spurts, only to return to mediocrity a couple of weeks later. That is not necessarily a knock on him. He just is not a starting-level NFL cornerback at this point in his career.

Considering that is what the Jets need, it’s hard to see Canady back in green and white next season.

The verdict

All things considered, Canady has a somewhat solid chance of sticking around at One Jets Drive. Nickel corner is a valuable position and he showed enough he can contribute in that role.

With that being said, the Jets need major upgrades at corner. Canady is a solid backup, but Douglas needs to do more than continue to add depth pieces who might be able to make a play here and there.

It’s a tougher call than it might seem, but Canady is likely out in the Big Apple.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with OLB Brandon Copeland?

Jets Wire evaluates if New York should re-sign impending free agent outside linebacker Brandon Copeland this offseason.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Brandon Copeland’s 2019 season got off to a fortuitous start, but he proved to be a relatively productive rotational linebacker as the year progressed. Will he be back with New York in 2020? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

After returning to the field in October following a four-game suspension to begin the season, Copeland made an instant impact by recording 28 tackles in his first five games. That might not seem like a big number, but considering the banged up state of New York’s linebacker room upon his return, Copeland’s production was much-needed.

Copeland also offers positional versatility. He is predominantly an edge rusher, but can also line up on the inside and make plays in the run game.

Cons of keeping him

Copeland didn’t contribute much following his strong five-game stretch, registering only seven tackles over New York’s final six games.

The fact that Copeland didn’t see much playing time down the stretch speaks volumes when it comes to his future with the team. Yes, teams who are not making the playoffs use the end of the season to give younger players an extended run, but the Jets didn’t have many linebackers in the mix due to injury.

Copeland couldn’t crack a thin linebacker core at the end of the season. With that in mind, it’s hard to see him having a spot when C.J. Mosley, Avery Williamson and Blake Cashman come back healthy next season. Factor in young edge rushers such as Jordan Jenkins and Frankie Luvu likely returning and Copeland’s future with the team becomes even grimmer.

The verdict

All signs point towards Copeland not returning next season. He is at the bottom of the pecking order in New York’s outside linebacker rotation and it’s hard to see him rising past any of Gang Green’s younger pass rushers.

Copeland had a fruitful stay at One Jets Drive, but odds are his time in Florham Park is up.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with QB Trevor Siemian?

Jets Wire breaks down whether or not New York should re-sign impending free agent quarterback Trevor Siemian this offseason.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Trevor Siemian’s 2019 season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a gruesome lower leg injury in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns. He didn’t get the chance to show much a year ago, but that doesn’t mean he brings no value to the table. Should the Jets bring the veteran back for another season as Sam Darnold’s backup? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

Siemian’s 2019 season essentially ended before it could really begin. That will likely play a major role in Douglas’ decision, but New York’s first-year general manager needs to take a step back and ignore the injury that landed him on injured reserve before coming to any sort of conclusion.

Siemian knows Adam Gase’s system relatively well after spending a whole year at One Jets Drive. The Jets still need a veteran in the building to help Darnold along in his development. Considering his familiarity with New York’s offense, Siemian could be that guy for another season.

Cons of keeping him

It’s tough to evaluate Siemian’s performance in 2019 considering his season lasted less than one half of football, but his past performances as a starter with the Denver Broncos indicate the Jets could possibly upgrade behind Darnold in free agency.

Siemian is also coming off a major injury. Is it really worth keeping a backup who missed a whole season when Douglas could opt for a second-string signal caller with a cleaner bill of health and more upside?

The verdict

Siemian was good for Darnold, but that is not enough to save his job in this situation. This would likely be a much different debate if Siemian did not get hurt, but it’s not like he was a world-beater when healthy anyway.

Expect the Jets to have a new quarterback holding down the No. 2 spot on the depth chart next season.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with C Ryan Kalil?

Here’s a look at how the Jets should approach Ryan Kalil’s free agency.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

In another addition of Jets Wire’s free agent profile, let’s evaluate Ryan Kalil’s free agent situation.

Pros of keeping him

Kalil performed below expectations in his first season with the Jets, but he did get a late start in training camp.

Kalil was signed by the Jets in late July after Douglas convinced him to come out of retirement. The Jets were hoping that he’d help out Sam Darnold in reading opposing defenses, but he was unable to stay healthy for the majority of the season. When Kalil was healthy, he struggled to hold up in run and pass blocking, as did the rest of the offensive line.

Kalil should be cheap given his age and how he played last season, so if the Jets want to have a veteran presence in the locker room, then why not bring him back as a backup or mentor for a new young center?

Cons of keeping him

The Jets are going to want to get much younger in the trenches and Kalil doesn’t fit that profile.

The offensive line had a lot of wear and tear on it and that included Kalil. He played like a player who was on the last leg of his career. Kalil didn’t assist Darnold much in picking up blitzes, as he was one of the league’s most sacked quarterbacks.

At this point in his career, Kalil doesn’t provide much value to a rebuilding team, so it would be a waste of money to bring him back even for one more year.

The Verdict

Assuming Kalil even wants to continue his career, New York should move on. There was a reason the Jets gave him a one-year deal: to find out of he was still the player he was in Carolina. It didn’t take long to see that he clearly wasn’t.

Kalil got one last paycheck out of the Jets in 2019 and didn’t do much to earn it. He should probably retire again, but the Jets should definitely find a new center regardless.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with K Sam Ficken?

Here’s a free agent profile of what the Jets should do with kicker Sam Ficken.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Sam Ficken was an early season acquisition by the Jets after they moved on from Kaare Vedvik. It was a short-term kicker fix for the Jets that didn’t go very well. But if the Jets want to keep someone around that they’re familiar with, then Ficken is an option.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of holding onto Ficken for the 2020 season.

Pros of keeping him

There’s no denying that Ficken had a bad 2019 season, but keep in mind it was the first year he actually kicked a full season.

Ficken was 19-27 on field goal attempts and 23-26 on extra points. He struggled in field goals of 40 or more yards but was strong in kicks under 40 yards. However, there was improvement toward the end of the regular season. Three of the last six games Ficken was 100 percent on his field goal attempts.

So if the Jets believe that his end of year success can translate into next season, then it might warrant his return.

Cons of keeping him

The consistency and inability to kick long field goals hurts Ficken’s possibility of coming back next season.

He was just 10-17 on field goals of 40 or more yards in 2019. It’s not that he didn’t have the leg for them, but his accuracy was not very strong. His longest made field goal of the season came from 54 yards out, which in today’s NFL is not too far.

You simply can’t have kickers who are inconsistent and can’t kick long-range field goals in the NFL anymore, so it might be time to find a kicker who can.

The Verdict

More likely than not, the Jets are going to try to bring in a new kicker for 2020. You can’t have a revolving door of kickers keep coming in when things start to go south. While kicker is not a sexy position, they can be the difference between a win and a loss.

Ficken is an exclusive rights free agent, meaning the Jets only have to offer him the minimum in free agency. But it’s time to look for some stability at the position and bring someone in who can actually kick on a consistent basis.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with OLB Frankie Luvu?

Should the Jets re-sign free agent outside linebacker Frankie Luvu this offseason? Jets Wire evaluates the situation.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Frankie Luvu established himself as a solid piece on New York’s defense in 2018 as a situational pass rusher. Things didn’t go as planned for the Washington State product last season, as he struggled to get to opposing quarterbacks. Still, Luvu has plenty of traits that could warrant a return in 2020.

What will Douglas do with the former undrafted free agent? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

Luvu is coming off a down year, but there is still something to be said about what he brought to the table in 2018.

Luvu recorded three sacks and 11 quarterback hits as a rookie, demonstrating his ability to beat tackles rushing off the edge with relative consistency. He struggled to replicate his rookie year form in his first season playing for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, but there is reason to believe he can right the ship in 2020.

Luvu turns 24 in September. Why let a young, talented pass rusher hit the open market when he can be kept at a cheap price?

Cons of keeping him

Luvu’s drop in production last season indicates that he might not be able to produce in Williams’ defensive scheme.

It’s confusing as to why Luvu struggled playing for the veteran defensive coordinator. Williams sometimes asks his outside linebackers to drop into coverage, but when Luvu saw the field, he was used mostly as a situational pass rusher. For whatever reason, his ability to get to opposing quarterbacks disappeared from September to December

Regardless of the reason, Luvu’s performance in 2019 is concerning and could put his future with the franchise in jeopardy.

The verdict

Luvu likely winds up back with the Jets in 2020 for a couple of reasons. For starters, there is no reason to give up on the young edge rusher just yet. One bad season does not mean he can’t get back on track with a little bit of refinery.

There is also Luvu’s status as an exclusive restricted free agent. Considering no other team is likely to offer him anything close resembling an above-average market value deal, the Jets can retain a young piece on the cheap. It doesn’t get much better than that for Douglas and company.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with WR Demaryius Thomas?

Jets Wire evaluates whether or not the Jets should re-sign free-agent wide receiver Demaryius Thomas this offseason.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

Trading for Demaryius Thomas was a necessary move once Quincy Enunwa went down with a season-ending neck injury, but things did not work out as well as Douglas would have liked with the veteran wide receiver in 2019. Thomas battled injuries throughout the season and struggled to consistently put together impactful performances when healthy. However, he emerged as a leader in the locker room and occasionally served as a reliable target for Sam Darnold downfield.

Is that enough to warrant a return in 2020? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

Thomas is getting up there in age, but is still a reliable downfield target thanks to his size and physicality.

Thomas caught 36 passes in 2019 and averaged 12 yards per reception. Those numbers are not too shabby considering he missed five games and had to share targets with Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder and Ryan Griffin.

The Georgia Tech product is not the electric weapon he once was with the Broncos, but he gets the job done when called upon. That could be enough to entice Douglas to bring him back on a short-term deal next season.

Cons of keeping him

Thomas is 32 and has battled injuries throughout the last couple of seasons. He is still only a year removed from a major Achilles injury and has clearly lost a step since returning to the field.

The Jets can bring in a younger and cheaper player to fill Thomas’ role. His leadership might be irreplaceable, but the durability concerns might be enough to make Douglas think twice when it comes to re-signing him.

The verdict

It is highly unlikely Thomas returns to the Jets in 2020. There is really not much of a place for him on New York’s roster considering the direction the team is heading.

Why would Douglas re-sign an aging and declining receiver when Sam Darnold clearly needs more electric weapons to work with? Thomas is a good locker room guy, but that is not enough to save him in this situation.