Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with CB Brian Poole?

Jets Wire takes a look at whether or not New York should bring back cornerback and impending free agent cornerback Brian Poole.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans on targeting 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 others it’s safe to assume the Jets would like to keep around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do in his first offseason on the job.

Brian Poole signed with the Jets in February after the Falcons let him go following the most productive season of his career. It wound up being Mike Maccagnan’s best move of the offseason, as Poole was New York’s best cornerback throughout 2019.

The Florida product earned only $3 million last season. It’s safe to assume he’s in line for a raise considering the way he performed for the Jets. Should Douglas pay the man? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of bringing him back

The Jets took a chance on Poole and he repaid them by turning in impactful performances on a weekly basis. In a year in which New York’s cornerbacks were simply not good, his presence was much-needed.

Poole was excellent both in coverage and helping out in run support around the line of scrimmage. It’s rare that a nickel corner is willing to get physical at the line and be a willing tackler, but Poole was exactly that throughout 2019.

Saying the Jets are thin at cornerback entering 2020 would be an understatement. Trumaine Johnson and most likely Darryl Roberts are on their way out the door. Bless Austin showed promise last season but still has a long way to go. Arthur Maulet is a free agent. Letting Poole walk given the current state of the cornerback room would be a mistake.

Cons of bringing him back

Poole struggled with injuries at the end of 2019, missing two of New York’s final four games. His production also dipped a bit in the second half of the season with only 14 tackles and one pass breakup after a red-hot start to the year.

The verdict

There’s a reason why the cons part of this free agent profile is so short. Poole should without a doubt be back with the Jets in 2020.

Yes, his production did dip slightly at the end of the season, but it wasn’t realistic to expect the Florida product to rack up double-digit tackles every game for the whole season. The fact of the matter is, Poole is the perfect player to play the nickel in Gregg Williams’ defense. His physicality and coverage skills play perfectly into what Williams likes to do.

Poole’s going to be worth a good amount on the open market, but he won’t be getting a contract that is out of New York’s price range. Douglas needs to do what he can to ensure Poole is back in green and white next season.

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with WR Robby Anderson?

Jets Wire takes a look at whether or not New York should bring back wide receiver and impending free agent Robby Anderson in 2020.

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

Robby Anderson is the most important player Douglas has to decide on. The star wideout has already said he will not re-sign with New York before the beginning of free agency, but what should Douglas do once the Temple product hits the open market? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s first free agent profile of the offseason.

Pros of bringing him back

The Jets don’t exactly have a bevy of weapons for Sam Darnold to work with. Jamison Crowder was dynamic working out of the slot in 2019, but Darnold needs a bit more talent at his disposal than one receiver. That’s where ensuring Anderson sticks around comes into play.

Anderson is the deep threat that New York’s offense needs. He can take the top off the defense with his speed and is adept at high pointing the football to come down with acrobatic catches in jump ball situations. Anderson’s underneath route running has also drastically improved over the last year, adding another element to his game.

The Jets can’t afford to not stock the cupboard for Darnold entering his third year. How is he supposed to succeed if he has almost nobody to throw to? Not bringing Anderson back puts Darnold and a Jets offense that struggled to put points on the board at a major disadvantage.

Cons of bringing him back

The main issue with keeping Anderson in the Big Apple is the hefty price tag that follows him into free agency. According to Spotrac, Anderson is worth $11.4 million on the open market. The Athletic’s Connor Hughes reported he could be seeking a deal in the $13-15 million range. Is Anderson really worth the money considering he hasn’t established himself as a true No. 1 receiver?

There’s also the fear that Anderson might mail it on once he gets the contract he desired. Anderson spent all of 2019 motivated to earn himself a payday, but he had moments where he slipped up and took plays off. That’s not the best look, especially in a contract year when every penny is on the line.

What’s going to happen when Anderson’s money is in the bank and he doesn’t have to go out and earn it? That’s something every team bidding for his services is going to have to consider.

The Verdict

Anderson’s return to the Jets in 2020 is predicated on whether or not Douglas believes he’s worth paying. If Douglas is fully engaged in a bidding war for his services and willing to meet his contractual demands, Anderson will likely give the Jets a long look considering his familiarity with the organization and rapport with Darnold. If he isn’t all-in on paying Anderson what he wants, he won’t be a member of New York’s roster next season. It’s as simple as that.

Purely from an Xs and Os perspective, the Jets should do everything in their power to ensure Anderson re-signs with them. The wide receiver market is thin this offseason and Anderson is the cream of the crop assuming Amari Cooper remains with the Cowboys. With that being said, if Douglas isn’t 100 percent sold on Anderson’s asking price, he’ll have no issue finding Darnold a new No. 1 receiver to work with.

8 free agents the Jets should bring back in 2020

Jets Wire breaks down which free agents the Jets should bring back next season.

With the 2019 regular season in the books, it’s time for the Jets to look ahead.

Joe Douglas has a lot of decisions to make in his first offseason as a general manager. New York has a whopping 32 players set to hit free agency. Some have no chance of returning to One Jets Drive. Others are certainly worth keeping around for 2020 and beyond.

So, which free agents should Douglas place an emphasis on keeping in the Big Apple? Let’s take a look.

Robby Anderson

This one is a no brainer. The Jets aren’t going to get any better on offense in 2020 if they don’t have weapons. Anderson isn’t quite a true No. 1 wideout, but he possesses a skill set that can help Sam Darnold take the next step next season.

Whether or not Anderson returns to New York depends on if Douglas is willing to meet his contractual demands. If Anderson wants around $13-15 million per year, as The Athletic’s Connor Hughes reported, the Jets might be better off allowing the Temple product to seek a new home. He’s worth keeping around at the right price, though.

Pages: 12345678

Jets WR Robby Anderson set on testing free agency

Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson will test free agency and not re-sign with the Jets before hitting the open market.

The Jets are going to have to take part in a bidding war if they want to bring back wide receiver Robby Anderson in 2020.

Following a season in which he earned himself a nice payday with his performance, Anderson is set to hit free agency for the first time. At only 26 years old, Anderson is entering his prime and will have the chance to cash in on what very well could be the biggest contract of his career.

After New York’s 13-6 win over the Bills on Sunday, Anderson said he wasn’t interested in taking a hometown discount to remain in the Big Apple. On Monday, he took it even further and reaffirmed his desire to test the open market and not re-sign with the Jets before finding out what he’s worth.

“I don’t think it’s really logical to sign before [free agency] at this point from a business perspective,” Anderson said. “Why wouldn’t I go out there and see what my value truly could be and do things in the correct business manner? That wouldn’t really be logical.”

Anderson and the Jets couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension during the offseason, leaving New York in its current predicament. Since the two sides last negotiated, Anderson’s price tag has gone up. The Temple product finished 2019 with 52 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns. Anderson’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, but his ability to take the top off the defense and his underneath route-running skills that developed nicely throughout the season are going to make him a hot commodity in a relatively thin wide receiver market.

Well aware of the market and his rising value, Anderson is eager to see how much money he can earn in the spring. He is now worth an estimated $11.4 million according to Spotrac and The Athletic’s Connor Hughes says Anderson could be seeking a deal in the $13-15 million range.

“The goal, in the business perspective, is to get the most money and the best situation,” Anderson said. “The goal is to best the most amount of money with what I’m worth and be in the best situation.”

Whether the Jets want to bring back Anderson at his desired price remains to be seen. If they do, general manager Joe Douglas is going to have to pony up and make a big offer to keep New York’s No. 1 receiver in his first offseason running the show.