4 positions the Jets still need to improve at

Jets Wire takes a look at four positions that New York still needs to improve before Week 1 of the regular season rolls around.

There is no doubt that the Jets got better this offseason, but there is still work to be done before New York can seriously contend for an AFC East title.

Despite all of the work general manager Joe Douglas has put in throughout his first offseason on the job, holes on the roster remain. No NFL roster is perfect, but New York’s remaining weaknesses are the difference between contending and competing for draft positioning at season’s end.

So, which positions still need some work before the regular season rolls around? Let’s take a look.

Wide Receiver

Losing Robby Anderson in free agency hurt, but Joe Douglas moved swiftly to fill the void with another speed demon by signing Breshad Perriman. He followed that move up by taking Denzel Mims, who has the potential to develop into a very good player, in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Douglas’ last two moves to address the receiver position are positives, but there is still something missing from the unit. There is no true No. 1 target for Sam Darnold to throw to and past Perriman, Mims and Jamison Crowder, there is not much depth.

Trading for a proven top receiver would do wonders for the wide receiver room, but that’s an unlikely move considering teams are not exactly shopping around their star wideouts right now. At the very least, the Jets need to add another veteran body before training camp kicks off. If that doesn’t happen, the lack of depth at the position could come back to haunt New York in 2020.

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4 positions the Jets improved the most at this offseason

Jets Wire takes a look at the four positions the Jets improved at the most this offseason.

The Jets got better this offseason.

It might not seem like it since general manager Joe Douglas did not bring in any big-name free agents or did not make a sexy first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but New York quietly took strides towards competing for a playoff spot with the moves it made over the last couple of months.

It doesn’t always take a splash in free agency or the draft to upgrade a roster. Douglas addressed numerous holes and bolstered units in need of additional depth. He didn’t steal the headlines while doing so, but he accomplished his goal nonetheless.

So, which positions did the Jets improve at the most this offseason? Let’s take a look.

Quarterback

All it took was one signing and a draft pick for Douglas to make New York’s quarterback room a bit more inspiring entering 2020.

Following a season in which the Jets suffered from a lack of depth at the position when Sam Darnold was forced out of action, Douglas selected James Morgan in the fourth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft before signing veteran Joe Flacco less than a month ago.

Morgan was more of a developmental pick, but has the makings of New York’s backup of the future. Flacco, meanwhile, gives the Jets a reliable No. 2 signal caller and a potential mentor for Darnold.

Considering Gang Green’s personnel at the position last season, there is no doubt this unit got a lot better this offseason.

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The best and worst from Joe Douglas’ first year as Jets GM

Jets Wire breaks down Joe Douglas best and worst moves in his first year as Jets general manager.

Sunday, June 7 marked a year since Joe Douglas left the City of Brotherly Love to take on the challenge of being a general manager in the Big Apple.

Douglas’ first season in charge of the Jets was an eventful one. From his first free agency and NFL draft as the head of a front office to a bevy of trade rumors leading up to the deadline in October, 2019 and the early parts of 2020 featured a little bit of everything for New York’s general manager.

In honor of the one year anniversary of Douglas taking over at One Jets Drive, here are some of the best and worst moments of his first year as a general manager.

Good: Trading Leonard Williams

Douglas’ first trade deadline as a general manager proved to be a fruitful one, as he shipped the underperforming Leonard Williams across town to the Giants in exchange for a haul.

Douglas coaxed Dave Gettleman into trading a 2020 third-round pick and a 2021 fifth-round pick in exchange for a player with an expiring contract who Douglas had no interest in franchise tagging or re-signing this offseason.

The third-round pick netted Gang Green Ashtyn Davis, its potential starting free safety of the future. Even if the 2021 fifth-round selection does not amount to anything special, Douglas deserves credit for getting multiple picks for a player he had no interest in retaining.

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7 moves the Jets can still make before training camp

Jets Wire takes a look at seven moves the Jets can still make before training camp begins in late July.

There is still plenty of time for Jets general manager Joe Douglas to improve New York’s roster before the beginning of training camp in late July.

Douglas has spent all offseason positioning the Jets to look more like a contender than a team still rebuilding in 2020. He put together a draft class that was met with almost universally positive reviews and did well to add some new talent at relatively cheap rates in free agency. There is still more work that can be done, though.

Armed with $14.2 million in salary cap space with another $11 million in cap relief coming on Monday thanks to the release of Trumaine Johnson, Douglas has enough ammunition to get New York’s roster exactly where he wants it to be before the offseason ends.

With that being said, here are seven moves that Douglas can make to not only bring more talent to One Jets Drive, but also to free up the money necessary to add such talent.

Sign Larry Warford

It’s hard to believe that Larry Warford is still a free agent.

Warford, who turns 29 in mid-June, is coming off three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and is arguably at the top of his game right now. He has plenty of good football left ahead of him and his arrival in New York would give the Jets an elite run blocker.

Considering the emphasis Joe Douglas has placed on upgrading in the trenches throughout the offseason, there is no reason to pass up on a player of Warford’s caliber as long as he is not asking for an exorbitant amount of money.

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Report: Jets showing interest in free agent RB Devonta Freeman

According to a report by NFL.com’s Michael Silver, the Jets are among the teams interested in free agent running back Devonta Freeman.

Could the Jets be in the market for another running back after signing veteran Frank Gore?

According to NFL.com’s Michael Silver, the Jets are among the teams interested in free agent running back Devonta Freeman. The Seahawks have offered him a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, according to Silver. The Eagles have also expressed interest.

A two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro selection in 2015, Freeman spent the first six seasons of his career with the Falcons. He led the league in rushing touchdowns with 11 in 2015 and replicated that total the following year. Freeman also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 2015 and 2016 while factoring heavily into Atlanta’s passing attack.

In 2017, Freeman signed a five-year, $41.25 million extension with the Falcons, making him the NFL’s highest-paid running back at the time. However, he failed to rush for over 1,000 yards that season and his production as a receiver dropped as well. The 2018 season was a lost one for Freeman, as he only appeared in two games before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Freeman returned in 2019 and started 14 games for the Falcons, but struggled throughout the year, rushing for only 656 yards and two touchdowns on 3.6 yards per carry.

New York’s interest in Freeman is curious considering it just signed Gore and drafted Florida running back La’Mical Perine in the fourth round. Perine could use a year to develop, but adding Freeman to the running back room would make things awfully crowded.

If anything, Freeman would give the Jets another running back that can catch passes out of the backfield and make plays between the tackles. It’s tough, however, to see where he would fit into Adam Gase’s offense with the presence of Le’Veon Bell, who thrives as a receiver, and Gore, who has made a career punishing defenses running between the tackles.

As rumors heat up, Logan Ryan is still a great fit for Jets

According to reports, the Jets are in contact with free-agent cornerback Logan Ryan.

Could the Jets be close to adding a veteran cornerback to their secondary?

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets have had contract discussions with representatives for free-agent cornerback Logan Ryan. However, no formal offer has been made to Ryan and there is no strong feeling within the organization about whether he will actually sign with the team.

After the Jets drafted Ashtyn Davis, who could potentially line up at cornerback, Bryce Hall and traded for Colts cornerback Quincy Wilson, it remained to be seen if general manager Joe Douglas and company would have any interest in adding Ryan given New York’s newfound depth at the position. Now, it seems like the Jets are exploring the possibility.

Ryan, 29, is coming off arguably the best season of his career, setting new highs in tackles (113), pass deflections (18), sacks (4.5) and forced fumbles (four). Ryan also added four interceptions as a member of a Tennessee Titans defense that reached the AFC Championship Game.

Despite his strong showing throughout 2019, there is a major blemish on Ryan’s resume. He allowed the most yards (967) of any cornerback in football, per Michael Nania. However, Ryan also saw the most targets (114) at his position and played the third-most coverage snaps (623), causing his yardage allowed total to become somewhat inflated. Ryan gave up only 41 first downs on those 114 targets, which limited opposing wide receivers below the league average of 40.1 percent first downs per target.

Ryan is not an elite corner, but he could be exactly what the Jets need at this point in time. A duo of Ryan and Pierre Desir would be an immediate upgrade over what New York had on the outside at cornerback last season and would give defensive coordinator Gregg Williams two established defensive backs to insert into his scheme.

If the Jets are serious about their pursuit of Ryan, there may be some financial hurdles that need to be cleared before a deal can come to fruition, as New York only has $14.2 million remaining in salary cap space. This could mean the end for Brian Winters’ tenure with the team, as releasing him would free up $7.28 million, likely enough to sign Ryan. It could also mean Avery Williamson’s time with the Jets is up, as New York would clear $6.5 million in cap space by releasing him.

If all financial hurdles are cleared and Ryan, who grew up in New Jersey and played his college football at Rutgers, is interested in a homecoming, adding him to the secondary could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Jets. At the very least, it looks like the wheels for such a move to occur are now in motion.

The Jets still have money to spend. Here’s how they can use it.

Jets Wire breaks down how the Jets can use their remaining $14.2 million in salary cap space before the offseason ends.

The Jets have already made a number of moves to add talent this offseason, but there is still money left to be spent before training camp kicks off at the end of July.

New York currently has $14.2 million in remaining salary cap space. They need $9.8 million to sign their draft picks, but $11 million in cap relief comes on June 1 thanks to the release of Trumaine Johnson. The Jets can also free up more money if Joe Douglas chooses to part ways with a couple of players taking up a chunk of cap space. Either way, Douglas is going to have the capital to continue to improve the roster as the offseason nears an end.

So, how can the Jets not only make use of their remaining $14.2 million, but also free up more money to spend? Let’s take a look.

Release Avery Williamson and Brian Winters

There is a legitimate chance both Avery Williamson and Brian Winters become salary cap casualties before training camp rolls around.

The financial incentive to move on from both players is certainly there. Cutting Winters would free up an additional $7.28 million in salary cap space. Parting ways with Williamson would free up roughly $6.5 million.

The Jets have enough depth at linebacker and on the offensive line to absorb the impact of losing both players. With that in mind, if Joe Douglas has any designs on clearing up cap space, Williamson and Winters will be the first two players out the door.

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4 remaining free agent the Jets could target following the NFL draft

Jets Wire takes a look at four free agents the Jets should consider pursuing now that the draft is over.

Now that the 2020 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, it’s time for Jets general manager Joe Douglas to focus on filling out the rest of New York’s roster before training camp kicks off.

There are still plenty of quality free agents remaining on the market, which is good news for the Jets considering the holes they still need to fill. Douglas did a nice job addressing positions of need, but there is still work to be done.

So, who are some free agents out there that the Jets could go after? Let’s get into it.

Logan Ryan

The Jets drafted Bryce Hall in the fifth round and traded for Quincy Wilson, but there is still something to be said about the need for experienced and quality depth on New York’s cornerback depth chart.

Logan Ryan has already been linked to the Jets and a return to New Jersey for the veteran corner does not sound like a bad idea for either party. New York should not be content with its current crop at the position. It is a solid group, but the Jets need more if they want to contend in 2020. Ryan could be the one to take Gang Green’s cornerback play to the next level.

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Signing Logan Ryan would do wonders for Jets secondary

Jets Wire breaks down why signing free agent cornerback Logan Ryan would be a big-time move to upgrade the secondary.

Joe Douglas has done a nice job addressing the Jets secondary this offseason by signing Pierre Desir and bringing back Brian Poole, but there is still plenty of work to be done for the unit to become a solid one before Week 1 of the 2020 season rolls around.

Beyond Desir and Poole, there is not much on New York’s cornerback depth chart. Bless Austin is penciled in as the No. 2 cornerback opposite Desir, but his inexperience makes him a less than ideal option for the job. Arthur Maulet is a nice backup, but should not be in the running for a starting job. The same goes for Kyron Brown and Nate Hairston.

Fortunately for the Jets, there is a New Jersey native and former AFC East division rival still available for the taking in free agency who could come in and alleviate any cornerback concerns.

The Daily News’ Manish Mehta reported that the Jets are looking into signing former Patriots and Titans cornerback Logan Ryan. The 29-year-old is coming off arguably the best season of his career, setting new highs in tackles (113), pass deflections (18), sacks (4.5) and forced fumbles (four). Ryan also added four interceptions as a member of one of the better defenses in the NFL last season.

Ryan is not an elite corner, but he is exactly what the Jets need at this point in time. A duo of Desir and Ryan would be an immediate upgrade over what New York had at cornerback last season and would give defensive coordinator Gregg Williams two established defensive backs to insert into his scheme.

Before the Jets can realistically entertain any pursuit of the Rutgers product, there are financial hurdles that need to be cleared with only $18.8 million remaining in salary cap space. That could spell the end for Brian Winters’ tenure with the team, as releasing him would free up $7.28 million — likely enough to sign Ryan. It could also mean Avery Williamson’s time with the Jets is up, as New York would clear $6.5 million in cap space by releasing him.

Considering the depth the Jets have on the offensive line and at linebacker, they can absorb the loss of Winters or Williamson in order to improve their secondary. New York needs to do what it can in order to take advantage of a player of Ryan’s caliber lingering in free agency.

If all financial hurdles are cleared and Ryan is interested in a homecoming, adding him to the mix would do wonders for a Jets secondary in desperate need of some experienced talent.

Pierre Desir says defensive coordinator Gregg Williams sold him on signing with Jets

Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams played an instrumental role in Pierre Desir’s decision to sign with the Jets in free agency.

Pierre Desir’s familiarity with Jets assistant general manager Rex Hogan wasn’t the only thing that pushed him towards signing with New York in free agency.

Days after the Colts waived Desir, the Jets swooped in to ink him to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. Hogan played an instrumental role in bringing Desir to the Big Apple, but it was defensive coordinator Gregg Williams that sealed the deal with the veteran cornerback.

“[Speaking with Williams] kind of sold me on wanting to sign with the Jets,” Desir said on a conference call with reporters on Friday.

In conversations with players around the league, Desir said he discovered how beloved New York’s defensive coordinator is by his players. Williams is not afraid to rip into people when necessary, but is ultimately a player’s coach that will go to bat for his guys any day of the week.

Considering Williams played a major role in outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins’ decision to re-sign with the Jets, it should not come as much of a surprise that he was a primary factor in Desir’s decision to join Gang Green. Not only does Williams churn out top-ranked defenses, but he also does it in a way that and with a coaching style that players love.

Desir comes to the Jets after spending the last three years in the Colts’ zone coverage heavy scheme. However, with Desir’s words about Williams, it is clear that although he might not be the perfect fit in the Jets’ typically man-heavy defense, the two sides are willing to put in the work to turn New York’s secondary into one of the better ones in football in 2020.