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.

Rontez Miles doesn’t hold a starting job on the Jets defense, but he is an integral part of New York’s special teams operation and a well-respected veteran in the locker room. Is all of 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

Prior to an injury that put him out for the second half of the season, Adam Gase granted Miles captain status due to his presence in the locker room and impact on New York’s special teams unit.

Miles only made seven tackles in 2019, but don’t let the numbers fool you. It’s tough to equate Miles’ impact to a single statistic. What he brings to the table in the locker room and as a hard-worker in areas of the game that not many people recognize is tough to replace.

Cons of keeping him

Injuries have been Miles’ downfall the last two seasons. The 31-year-old missed eight games in 2018 and seven a year ago. Considering he’s getting up there in age, it’s hard not to wonder how durable Miles is at this point in his career.

Miles’ leadership is invaluable, but the Jets can simply replace him with a cheaper and younger special teamer if they wish. That could lead to his exit from the Big Apple this offseason.

The verdict

This is a decision Douglas would likely prefer not to make. It’s always hard to move on from a player who is well-liked throughout the organization, especially one who has the respect of a whole locker room.

With that being said, it looks like Miles’ time in the green and white is up. The Jets need to get younger and can’t afford to be carrying players who wind up injured more often than not. His presence will be missed at on One Jets Drive, but odds are Miles will have a new home next season.