Tag: New York Jets

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with G Tom Compton?

Should the Jets bring back Tom Compton for another season? Jets Wire evaluates the situation in its latest free agent profile?

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.

Tom Compton signed with the Jets in free agency as offensive line depth, but found himself in the starting lineup by season’s end due to a rash of injuries that plagued the unit throughout the year. Does Compton’s performance in the second half of the season warrant a return in 2020? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

You could make the case that Compton is the ideal reserve offensive lineman. He has experience as a starter and can play anywhere on the interior of the line.

Compton isn’t the most impressive mauler in the trenches, but he performs well enough to open up holes for running backs to scamper through more often than not. That could be enough to tempt Douglas into bringing the 30-year-old back next season.

Cons of keeping him

Considering the physical toll playing in the trenches takes on an offensive lineman, Compton’s age will play a role in Douglas’ decision this offseason. Compton’s durability has not been in question throughout his career, but he did suffer an injury in December that landed him on injured reserve. Considering he is getting up there in years, Compton’s mileage is certainly worth considering.

The presence of Alex Lewis complicates matters as well. Lewis is set to hit free agency, he is Douglas’ guy, while Compton was a Mike Maccagnan holdover. Douglas will likely have to pick between the two and Lewis has a major leg up. That makes Compton’s future in the Big Apple rather murky.

The verdict

Compton has a decent case to remain with the Jets, but odds are Douglas opts to bring back Lewis instead of the veteran interior lineman. Lewis is younger and has a connection with New York’s general manager. Compton is nearing the wrong side of 30 and could be done without.

Sam Darnold hands Daniel Jones another defeat in cornhole tournament

Sam Darnold defeated Daniel Jones in the American Cornhole League Challenge.

Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones spent part of Super Bowl weekend playing cornhole in south Florida.

Darnold and Jones competed in the American Cornhole League Challenge on Friday night. The event aired on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. EST on ESPN2. Darnold and his partner, professional cornhole player Matthew Sorrells, bested Jones and his teammate to win the challenge.

If you include cornhole — and why wouldn’t you? — Darnold is now 2-0 in his career against Jones. The two squared off in the NFL regular season; Darnold and the Jets took down Jones and the Giants, 34-27.

Darnold led the Jets to a 7-9 record in 2019 after the team started 1-7 on the season. The 22-year-old quarterbacks started in 13 games and threw for over 3,000 yards to go along with 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

As for Jones, he had a solid rookie season out of Duke. Jones also threw for over 3,000 yards to go with 24 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions. However, the Giants finished with a 4-12 record and missed the playoffs for the third straight year.

Darnold and Jones will have to wait a few more years to compete against each other on the football field unless the two meet up in the Super Bowl. For now, it’s Darnold who has the bragging rights over Jones.

Sam Darnold takes down Daniel Jones in cornhole tournament

New York Jets QB Sam Darnold defeated New York Giants QB Daniel Jones in a weekend cornhole tournament.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and Jets signal-caller, Sam Darnold, faced off in a cornhole match on Friday night down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The two met at an American Cornhole League challenge that will be aired on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, so if you’re looking for riveting television to hold you over until the start of the Super Bowl, you now know where to look.

If life happens to get in the way, don’t worry, we have spoilers.

Ahead of the matchup, Darnold and Jones took part in some light trash talk, but the Jets quarterback ended up getting the last laugh.

Darnold and his partner, professional cornhole player Matthew Sorrells, went on to defeat Jones and his teammate.

And, after also defeating Jones during the regular season, Darnold now sports a 2-0 record against his crosstown rival — that is, if we’re including a cornhole match (we’re not).

Jones was taken with the No. 6 overall pick by the Giants in the 2019 NFL Draft, while Darnold was the No. 3 overall selection of the Jets back in 2018.

Both quarterbacks certainly showed flashes during the 2019 campaign, but both also showed their warts. Jones had issues with fumbling, and Darnold was seeing ghosts. Clearly Darnold didn’t see any on Friday night, though.

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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.

Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones play a round of truth or… cornhole?

SportsPulse: Has Daniel Jones had an awkward moment with Eli Manning? What does Sam Darnold hat about living in New York? Find out in a game we’re calling “Truth or Cornhole”.

SportsPulse: Has Daniel Jones had an awkward moment with Eli Manning? What does Sam Darnold hat about living in New York? Find out in a game we’re calling “Truth or Cornhole”.

5 players in the Super Bowl the Jets should avoid in free agency

Chris Jones and Matt Moore are among players the Jets should avoid that will be playing in Super Bowl LIV down in Miami, Fla.

The Jets haven’t exactly been the wisest of spenders in free agency over the past couple of years.

That’s why Mike Maccagnan is no longer in charge and Joe Douglas will shortly begin his first offseason of calling the shots. With team officials most likely tuning in to Sunday’s big game, they need to also make a list of players that just don’t make sense for Gang Green. It’s not necessarily that they’re bad players, but more so that the Jets don’t have the cap or roster flexibility to add them in free agency.

Yesterday, the Jets Wire made a list of six players the Jets should target in free agency. This time around, we will take a look at five players the Jets should avoid come March.

Chiefs: DL Chris Jones

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

While Chris Jones could be an intriguing option to supplement the Jets 3-4 scheme, they don’t have the luxury to add a player of Chris Jones’ caliber on the defensive line.

Jones is a versatile three-down lineman, who played at defensive end before Kansas City’s switch to a 4-3 base scheme this past offseason. In 2018, Jones recorded 15.5 sacks. Only 26, Jones seems like a likely candidate for a big payday on the open market, especially if he is able to help Kansas City raise the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.

The former second-rounder has been tremendous at stopping the run and also has a knack for getting after opposing quarterbacks. In 13 games played this season, Jones totaled nine sacks to go along with 36 tackles and 20 quarterback hits.

It’s not to say that Jones wouldn’t be an excellent addition to their defensive front, but the Jets have too many other glaring needs at the moment. The additions of Henry Anderson and Quinnen Williams make Jones a luxury that New York simply can’t afford until they address the outside linebacker and cornerback positions first.

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Morris Claiborne enjoying small role in Chiefs secondary

The Jets didn’t want to keep Morris Claiborne in 2019, but he’s contributing in a small role on the Chiefs.

Cornerback was one of the most polarizing positions on the Jets roster this season. Between the ineptitude of Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts and the rise and fall of Bless Austin and Arthur Maulet, the Jets rarely saw consistent play in the secondary.

One player who New York missed was veteran cornerback Morris Claiborne, who the Chiefs signed after the Jets let him walk this offseason. Claiborne had two solid seasons in New York as one of the team’s top outside cornerbacks, but the Jets wanted to go younger in their secondary and decided not to offer Claiborne another contract.

“I enjoyed it,” Claiborne said on his time with the Jets. “I felt like I had two solid years of playing, going out starting, being the No. 1 corner. …  I feel like the two years I was there, my stats were career highs in both years there.”

He’s not wrong. Claiborne set career highs in interceptions, pass breakups and total tackles during the 2018 season and he finished his Jets tenure with 100 combined tackle, three interceptions and 22 pass breakups in 30 games. After watching Johnson and Roberts struggle throughout the season, Adam Gase and Joe Douglas probably wish they retained Claiborne for just another year.

Claiborne’s time in Kansas City got off to a rocky start. The Chiefs signed Claiborne to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on August 8, but he was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league’s substance-abuse policy and only played in a handful of games after being activated on October 3. He played in eight games, averaged 24.75 snaps per game and finished with 14 total tackles this season. Though he missed both of the Chiefs’ playoff games with a shoulder injury there’s a chance he suits up for the Super Bowl.

“It’s awesome,” Claiborne said about playing for a Super Bowl. “It makes everything worth it. When I look at all of these cuts on my knees and shoulders, this is what it was all for.”

Clairborne came with a ton of injury concerns after only playing half of his total games between 2013-2016. He shook off those concerns during his two years in New York, though, and appeared healthy in Kansas City until his most recent shoulder injury. Clairborne could get another shot with the Chiefs or another team next season, but he’ll turn 30 a few days after the Super Bowl and didn’t prove to be a huge contributor in 2019. If he doesn’t get another contract this offseason, there’s a chance the former first-round pick would retire.

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.

Jets free agent profile: What to do with LB Albert McClellan?

Here’s how the Jets should approach Albert’s McClellan’s free agent 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.

Albert McClellan was signed by the Jets in the middle of August before being released during cuts. The Jets did re-sign him the next day, though. McClellan’s season was cut short after he suffered a concussion and was placed on injured reserve. So the Jets didn’t get to see a whole lot of tape on him. Let’s evaluate McClellan’s free agent situation in another edition of Jets Wire’s free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

The Jets signed McClellan to be a depth piece after the team lost Avery Williamson for the season to a torn ACL. He was immediately thrown into the fire at the beginning of the regular season after the Jets lost C.J. Mosley as well. McClellan didn’t make much of an impact though, only recording five total tackles in five games.

The 33-year-old is an NFL veteran with some starting experience, so if the Jets want to have depth in case any of their inside linebackers go down again, then bringing back McClellan wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Cons of keeping him

At this point in his career, McClellan is not an every-down starter. He hasn’t been for a few years. If the Jets are in a situation where they need him to start, can he handle it? The answer to that question is unknown, but at 33 years old the odds don’t lean in his favor.

Since the Jets do need to get younger, it wouldn’t make much sense to bring McClellan back for another season.

The verdict

Given McClellan’s age and the fact that he’s coming off a concussion, he isn’t likely to be retained by Gang Green. The Jets showed last season that they had enough linebacker depth without McClellan in the fold.

Douglas doesn’t need to do that much in the offseason with inside linebackers. They’ll get Mosley and Blake Cashman back from injuries. They have a decision to make on Avery Williamson and they’ll likely want Neville Hewitt and James Burgess back, too.

All in all, McClellan will be likely one and done with the Jets.

Jets OLB Brandon Copeland wins NFLPA Community Award

Jets outside linebacker Brandon Copeland was honored with the 2020 Alan Page NFLPA Community Award on Thursday.

It was only a matter of time before Jets outside linebacker Brandon Copeland received some sort of official recognition for his work in the community.

On Thursday, Copeland was honored with the 2020 Alan Page Award by the NFL Player’s Association. The award is the NFLPA’s highest honor and is granted to one player every season. Copeland will receive a $100,000 donation either to his foundation or charity of his choice.

Since joining the Jets in 2018, Copeland has worked extensively with underprivileged youths throughout the five boroughs. This year, he took 300 children on a Christmas shopping spree to Target with each child getting a $200 gift card to spend.

Copeland has not only attempted to impact New York’s underprivileged youths, but those around the country as well. As the holidays approached, he recruited players across the NFL to orchestrate similar shopping sprees in their respective cities.

“The power you have is monumental. Please continue to do the right thing and highlight the good with your pen, and know that as players, we’re working our tails off to make an impact while we have the platform,” Copeland told reporters after accepting the award.

Copeland might not be back with the Jets in 2020. His contract with the team is up and it remains to be seen if general manager Joe Douglas has any interest in retaining him.

Either way, Copeland’s impact on the underprivileged youths of the Big Apple will not soon be forgotten. He might not be the biggest star on the field, but he sure is one in the community he has called home for the last two years.