SALARY CAP dept. : which Jets could be gone after this season to create cap space ? ? ?

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

On 10/22/2016 at 10:22 AM, kelly said:

@DarrylSlater  With the Jets projected to be at or over the cap to start 2017, what names are you expecting to see let go ?

There are several moves the Jets could make next offseason to create salary cap space. Cornerback Darrelle Revis has a $15.3 million cap number for 2017, so he could be asked to take a pay cut. His base salary next year is $13 million. Just $6 million of that is guaranteed. If the Jets cut Revis and he signs elsewhere, they would receive offset cap credit based on that $6 million, depending on how much Revis gets from his next team.

Another pay-cut candidate: left tackle Ryan Clady, who has a $10.5 million cap hit and $10 million non-guaranteed base salary. The Jets would save $10 million against the cap by cutting him. Some other potential cuts the Jets could make, depending on how the rest of the season unfolds: free safety Marcus Gilchrist ($5.375 million cap savings), middle linebacker David Harris ($6.5 million savings), right tackle Breno Giacomini ($4.5 million savings), and kicker Nick Folk ($3 million savings). 

rest of above article  : 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/10/which_jets_could_be_gone_after_this_season_to_crea.html#incart_river_index

Kelly , did you give Sam mono ?

[kelly]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 5:48 PM, SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN said:

Kelly , did you give Sam mono ?

ugghhhh..

...i'm blond   

[kelly]

Rich Cimini      ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets made it official, placing TE Chris Herndon and G Brian Winters on season-ending injured reserve. They now have 13 players on IR, eating up $40 million in cap space. They promoted CB Kyron Brown from the practice squad and re-signed LB B.J. Bello.

>      https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

if Christopher Johnson really wants Jamal Adams to be a Jet for life, he’s going to have to pony up a lot of cash to keep Adams in New York.

Though the Jets control Adams through the 2021 season if they pick up his fifth-year option, they’d be apt to offer him an extension sooner rather than later, both as a show of good faith after a chaotic year and because of the potential price tag he could command in two years.

Adams is currently the 18th highest-paid safety with the $22.2 million rookie deal he signed in 2017 after the Jets took him sixth overall, but he will soon earn a much bigger salary. The Jets have three options with Adams: They can sign him to a contract extension at any point after this season, pick up his fifth-year option by May 3, 2020, or do nothing and let him play out the final year of his contract and let him hit free agency at the end of the 2020 season.

The Jets should take the first option if they truly believe Adams is the face of their franchise and the future of their defense. 

What would it take to sign Adams to a long-term deal? Well, you’d have to look at the two record-setting contracts signed by safeties Landon Collins and Kevin Byard last offseason. Collins signed a six-year, $84 million contract with the Redskins in March that included $44.5 million in guaranteed money. With an average annual salary of $14 million, he became the highest-paid safety in the NFL until Byard signed a five-year, $70.5 million extension with the Titans in July that included $31 million guaranteed and will pay him an average of $14.1 million annually.

Byard’s yearly salary is the starting point for Adams’ contract extension. In all likelihood, Adams would want somewhere close a $15 million annual salary, which isn’t completely unthinkable given Adams’ play of late.The Jets also can’t afford to wait longer than this offseason to extend Adams because of the other safeties in line for massive deals.If the Jets exercised Adams’ fifth-year option today, it would cost around $11.81 for the 2021 season. Since Adams was a top-10 pick, his option is calculated by taking the average of the top 10 safety salaries. That $11.81 million number could increase if another safety signs a deal that vaults him into the top 10.

That’s well below anything Adams would ask for in a contract extension this winter, but by pushing the Jets’ deadline to sign Adams long-term by another season it could potentially raise the floor well for Adams if other safeties sign bigger deals.The three names Joe Douglas will have to watch if he plays the waiting game are the Vikings’ Harrison Smith, the Bears’ Eddie Jackson and the Chargers’ Derwin James. Smith is up for an extension after the 2021 season when he’ll turn 32, so the odds of him setting the market price are low. James is already one of the best safeties in the league but also isn’t eligible for a new deal until after the 2021 season unless the Chargers exercise his fifth-year option where he’ll have to wait until after 2022. 

The price could go up for Adams if the Jets wait for Jackson’s impending deal.

Jackson is two years older than Adams and much more of a ballhawk, but he’s also one of the best safeties in the league and could easily sign a bigger deal than Byard and Collins as early as this offseason. If the Bears choose to extend Jackson before the Jets extend Adams, it could massively affect Adams’ asking price down the road.The Jets shouldn’t wait for any of these dominos to fall. Getting Adams locked up before the market resets will be crucial to Joe Douglas’ ability to remake the roster and keep Adams at the same time. He’ll have at minimum $46.4 million to spend in 2020, and that’s before he inevitably cuts other contracts for overpaid players like Trumaine Johnson.

Yes, spending upward of $15 million per year on a safety is a massive risk for the Jets given the holes in various other positions on the roster. But for someone like Adams, it’s worth it given his performance this year. The Jets won’t just be paying for an incredible defensive back, but they’ll be paying for a top-flight pass rusher as well.Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been able to unlock Adams’ versatility both in coverage and as a pass rusher. He’s blitzed Adams at multiple positions on the field – edge, safety, cornerback – which helped Adams notch five sacks the past two weeks (six on the season) and put him on pace to break the NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back (eight).

According to Next Gen Stats, Adams blitzed an average of 5.2 times per game over the first eight games of the season. Adams lined up as an edge rusher 14 times against the Redskins, rushed 13 times and finished with a 26.4 pass-rush win percentage, per Pro Football Focus. On the season, he ranks first among defensive backs in blitzes (55) and quarterback pressures (12). Though he only has one interception on the season, Adams has broken up six passes and allowed a completion percentage of 53.8 percent and a passer rating of 78.7 when targeted.

Retaining Adams will come at a hefty price, but it will be worth it to preserve the closest thing the Jets have to a superstar. Generational defensive talents don’t come around often and the Jets would be wise to lock theirs up for the foreseeable future.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/20/what-could-a-jamal-adams-extension-look-like-jets-joe-douglas/

[jgb]

53 minutes ago, kelly said:

if Christopher Johnson really wants Jamal Adams to be a Jet for life, he’s going to have to pony up a lot of cash to keep Adams in New York.

Though the Jets control Adams through the 2021 season if they pick up his fifth-year option, they’d be apt to offer him an extension sooner rather than later, both as a show of good faith after a chaotic year and because of the potential price tag he could command in two years.

Adams is currently the 18th highest-paid safety with the $22.2 million rookie deal he signed in 2017 after the Jets took him sixth overall, but he will soon earn a much bigger salary. The Jets have three options with Adams: They can sign him to a contract extension at any point after this season, pick up his fifth-year option by May 3, 2020, or do nothing and let him play out the final year of his contract and let him hit free agency at the end of the 2020 season.

The Jets should take the first option if they truly believe Adams is the face of their franchise and the future of their defense. 

What would it take to sign Adams to a long-term deal? Well, you’d have to look at the two record-setting contracts signed by safeties Landon Collins and Kevin Byard last offseason. Collins signed a six-year, $84 million contract with the Redskins in March that included $44.5 million in guaranteed money. With an average annual salary of $14 million, he became the highest-paid safety in the NFL until Byard signed a five-year, $70.5 million extension with the Titans in July that included $31 million guaranteed and will pay him an average of $14.1 million annually.

Byard’s yearly salary is the starting point for Adams’ contract extension. In all likelihood, Adams would want somewhere close a $15 million annual salary, which isn’t completely unthinkable given Adams’ play of late.The Jets also can’t afford to wait longer than this offseason to extend Adams because of the other safeties in line for massive deals.If the Jets exercised Adams’ fifth-year option today, it would cost around $11.81 for the 2021 season. Since Adams was a top-10 pick, his option is calculated by taking the average of the top 10 safety salaries. That $11.81 million number could increase if another safety signs a deal that vaults him into the top 10.

That’s well below anything Adams would ask for in a contract extension this winter, but by pushing the Jets’ deadline to sign Adams long-term by another season it could potentially raise the floor well for Adams if other safeties sign bigger deals.The three names Joe Douglas will have to watch if he plays the waiting game are the Vikings’ Harrison Smith, the Bears’ Eddie Jackson and the Chargers’ Derwin James. Smith is up for an extension after the 2021 season when he’ll turn 32, so the odds of him setting the market price are low. James is already one of the best safeties in the league but also isn’t eligible for a new deal until after the 2021 season unless the Chargers exercise his fifth-year option where he’ll have to wait until after 2022. 

The price could go up for Adams if the Jets wait for Jackson’s impending deal.

Jackson is two years older than Adams and much more of a ballhawk, but he’s also one of the best safeties in the league and could easily sign a bigger deal than Byard and Collins as early as this offseason. If the Bears choose to extend Jackson before the Jets extend Adams, it could massively affect Adams’ asking price down the road.The Jets shouldn’t wait for any of these dominos to fall. Getting Adams locked up before the market resets will be crucial to Joe Douglas’ ability to remake the roster and keep Adams at the same time. He’ll have at minimum $46.4 million to spend in 2020, and that’s before he inevitably cuts other contracts for overpaid players like Trumaine Johnson.

Yes, spending upward of $15 million per year on a safety is a massive risk for the Jets given the holes in various other positions on the roster. But for someone like Adams, it’s worth it given his performance this year. The Jets won’t just be paying for an incredible defensive back, but they’ll be paying for a top-flight pass rusher as well.Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been able to unlock Adams’ versatility both in coverage and as a pass rusher. He’s blitzed Adams at multiple positions on the field – edge, safety, cornerback – which helped Adams notch five sacks the past two weeks (six on the season) and put him on pace to break the NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back (eight).

According to Next Gen Stats, Adams blitzed an average of 5.2 times per game over the first eight games of the season. Adams lined up as an edge rusher 14 times against the Redskins, rushed 13 times and finished with a 26.4 pass-rush win percentage, per Pro Football Focus. On the season, he ranks first among defensive backs in blitzes (55) and quarterback pressures (12). Though he only has one interception on the season, Adams has broken up six passes and allowed a completion percentage of 53.8 percent and a passer rating of 78.7 when targeted.

Retaining Adams will come at a hefty price, but it will be worth it to preserve the closest thing the Jets have to a superstar. Generational defensive talents don’t come around often and the Jets would be wise to lock theirs up for the foreseeable future.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/20/what-could-a-jamal-adams-extension-look-like-jets-joe-douglas/

It was fun while it lasted. Nothing turns Jets fans against a player like when he wants to get paid.

[kelly]

Nate Hairston was thrown into the Jets’ cornerback mess after a preseason trade with the Colts last year.However,Hairston struggled mightily in Gregg Williams’ defense, which led him toward the bench during the back half of the season despite NY sustaining multiple injuries at the position.Hairston has one more year left on his rookie deal that he signed with Indianapolis. He got a salary bump of $1.4 million because he played a certain number of snaps last season. If the Jets keep him, he will count for $2.1 million against the cap. If they move on, they’ll save all of that money.Joe Douglas needs as much money as possible to revamp this roster and Hairston didn’t exactly prove that he’s worth keeping. He played poorly on the outside and was on the sidelines for four of the last seven games of the season. The Jets need to clean out their cornerback room after last year’s performance and bring in players who can play the position well. It’ll be up to Douglas if Hairston should be part of that group next season.

Pros of keeping him

If the Jets want to have some depth at cornerback, then keeping Hairston wouldn’t be such a bad idea. In 11 games, Hairston recorded 21 tackles, three pass defenses and an interception. He flashed some raw talent at times and was strong at finding the football.Since Hairston was acquired in the preseason, he didn’t get much time to learn Williams’ system. Williams proved last season that if you give him time to work with a cornerback, he can make them better. That could be the case with Hairston with a full offseason. Given that and his cheap contract, Hairston has a chance to stick as a depth piece in case of any injuries.

Pros of cutting him

The Jets can’t wait much longer for Hairston to figure it out. He’s a fourth-year player out of Temple who has already been traded once. The Jets can add more depth pieces via the draft or free agency who are more talented than Hairston at this stage of his career.Hairston does come on the cheap, but the fact that many other cornerbacks on the roster last season jumped him on the depth chart shows some red flags. The Jets can use his money to upgrade the cornerback position or another position on the roster.

The verdict

Given how much playing time Hairston lost at the end of the season, all signs point toward his release. The Jets need to clean house with their cornerbacks and Hairston should be included. Williams is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, but his powers don’t work on everybody and it certainly didn’t work with Hairston.If Douglas chooses to keep Hairston, he’ll be buried at the bottom of the depth chart fighting for a backup spot. But Douglas would be wise to move on from him and see what else he can find.

> https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2020/02/18/cap-cut-candidate-should-jets-move-on-from-nate-hairston/

[kelly]

Rich Cimini    ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets' release of CB Trumaine Johnson was a no-brainer. He disappointed under two different coaching staffs, so it was time to cut bait. The remaining cap hit depends on the outcome of the CBA vote. If a new CBA is approved for the 2020 league year, the Jets can designate him a June 1 cut and spread the hit over two years — $4M and $8M. Absent a new CBA, they get the entire hit this year —$12M. In that case, they'd save only $3M of his $15M hit. Ouch.

>     https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

The Jets saved a little money on Wednesday, releasing safety Blake Countess. In doing so, the team cleared $1.2 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.Countess was signed by the Jets in October and was active for six games. However, he didn’t record any statistics in 2019.

Countess was a sixth-round pick by the Eagles in 2016 out of Auburn. He didn’t play any games with the Eagles, though, as he was cut before the start of the 2016 season. The Rams picked him up after that; he was in Los Angeles for three seasons.As a Ram, Countess had 54 total tackles, three pass defenses, two interceptions and one sack in 37 total games. He made one more stop in Philadelphia before coming to the Jets in 2019.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/12/jets-release-s-blake-countess-save-1-2-million-in-cap-space/

[kelly]

NFL free agency kicks off next week, and the 2020 salary-cap space for all 32 teams is close to being locked in. Teams are permitted to start contract negotiations Monday with agents of players who will be free agents. Teams can sign players beginning at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.Which teams have the most money to spend? Start with the Miami Dolphins, who spent the last year clearing cap space and loading up on draft picks. The Minnesota Vikings, on the other hand, have the least amount of cap space partially because of Kirk Cousins' fully guaranteed contract.

Our NFL Nation reporters break down available salary-cap space and needs for every team as of 1 p.m. ET Thursday.

~ ~ Le'Veon Bell Bell has a higher cap charge than the entire offensive line, which needs work in free agency. 

New York Jets

Overall cap space: $47,386,437

Offense: $69,128,569

Defense: $88,907,251

Special teams: $2,060,000

Analysis : The $69 million on offense ranks 29th, which calls to mind the old saying, "You get what you pay for." The Jets ranked 32nd in total offense. Nearly 22% of the $69 million is devoted to one player, running back Le'Veon Bell ($15.5 million), a gross misappropriation of resources. Bell has a higher cap charge than the entire offensive line ($12.5 million), which speaks volumes. That should change once the first wave of free agency is over, as the Jets are focused on improving their line. -- Rich Cimini

rest of above article : 

> https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28851639/2020-nfl-salary-cap-space-all-32-teams-set-spend-big#NYJ

[kelly]

The Jets saved some money by sending Avery Williamson packing on Sunday night.

New York dealt the middle linebacker to the Steelers. In doing so, it saved around $1.8 million in salary and roster bonuses, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.With the salary cap set to drop, teams like the Jets, who are clearly out of the playoff race, could be looking to offload salary. This would allow them to roll over cap space for the 2021 season.

New York agreed to trade Williamson and a 2022 seventh-rounder in exchange for Pittsburgh’s 2022 fifth-rounder. Williamson had been a name attached to the Steelers ever since Devin Bush went down with a season-ending ACL injury.This trade made sense for both sides, as the Jets were able to shed some cap and gain an asset. The Steelers, meanwhile, attained a much-needed depth piece at inside linebacker.

Williamson may not be the only Jets player who has a new home by Tuesday’s deadline. He joins Steve McLendon and Jordan Willis as the other two defenders that Joe Douglas has sent packing already.

> https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/02/new-york-jets-cap-space-avery-williamson-trade-pittsburgh-steelers-2020-nfl-trade-deadline/

[kelly]

Jets have third-highest dead salary cap total in 2020

The Jets are one of the top teams in the NFL in at least one category this season. Unfortunately, it happens to be a category New York would rather not be leading the league in.

Gang Green has $44.4 million in dead cap money on the books for 2020. That ranks for third-most in the NFL only behind the Jaguars at $49.7 million in dead money and the Panthers, who have $50.6 million in dead cap, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.The chunk of New York’s dead cap is coming from Le’Veon Bell and Quincy Enunwa’s contracts. After the Jets released Bell, they were stuck with a dead cap charge of $15.1 million. As for Enunwa, the Jets were on the hook for $11.9 million following his release.

Fortunately for New York, its dead cap number will drop significantly next season. According to Spotrac, the Jets currently have $15.6 million in dead cap money entering 2021. Most of that money is coming from Trumaine Johnson ($8 million), Le’Veon Bell ($4 million) and Quincy Enunwa ($3.6 million).It bodes well for New York that Joe Douglas hasn’t been responsible for any of these contracts and has proven that he is extremely conservative when it comes to paying players. It remains to be seen if his hard-bargain approach will eliminate large dead cap totals moving money, but one thing is for certain — it’s not good business to hand out contracts that have the potential to hamper a team long-term.

Now, it’s on Douglas to eliminate the Jets’ bang spending habits as he works on building a winner.

> https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2020/11/13/new-york-jets-2020-nfl-salary-cap-dead-money-joe-douglas/

[kelly]

give joe douglas 'bout one year & he'll have our salary cap in good shape   

 

 

cheers ~ ~ 

[kelly]

Joe Douglas’ decision to not throw money at free agents last offseason will help him this March.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Jets were able to roll over about $26.7 million in cap space heading into the new league year, which ranks second in the league. As Yates mentioned, the NFL will audit these figures, including incentives and cap credits from the 2020 season. After that, the final amount will be added to the team’s cap for 2021.Right now, Over The Cap projects New York has roughly $63.1 million in cap space.

That’s before the Jets consider releasing players like Jamison Crowder, Henry Anderson, Greg Van Roten and Alex Lewis for salary relief.For now, the Jets must await the league-wide salary cap figures for the 2021 season, which will surely drop due to the pandemic. Either way, Douglas and his front office will have their work cut out for them when free agency kicks off in March.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2021/01/21/new-york-jets-salary-cap-update-rolled-over-2021-offseason/

[kelly]

The only thing currently known about the 2021 salary cap is that it will be no lower than $175 million per team. Beyond that, no one knows anything — including when we’ll know more.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, who also serves as chairman of the league’s financing committee, says that the 2021 salary cap won’t be set any time soon, via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal.The 2020 cap climbed to $198.2 million, and all teams have negotiated long-term deals under the impression that the cap will continue to increase. The pandemic, which saw 2020 regular-season attendance drop from more than 17 million to roughly one million, will likely push the final number closer to $175 million than to $198.2 million.

“There are so many uncertainties as we look at the 2021 season, which of course is now seven or eight months away, that answering those questions is very challenging,” Hunt said, via Fischer. “It’s going to be difficult to set the cap this year because we don’t know as many of the answers to those questions as we’d like. But that’ll be a collaborative process that happens with the union over the next two or three months. Certainly from a team perspective, we all hope to have something higher than the floor of $175 million, but we just don’t know the answer at this point.”

Some within the league think the final number will come in at $180 million. Ultimately, however, a negotiation between the NFL and the NFL Players Association will drive that decision, as it always does.This time around, the decision could go down to the wire. Hunt said that the cap could be set only “hours before the start of the league year.”If that happens, it won’t leave teams with much time to make their final plans for compliance, increasing the likelihood that plenty of key players will be cut by their teams.Before striking a deal with the union, management must have a consensus as to what the cap should be. Teams with cap space won’t mind if it falls. Teams without cap space will be inclined to keep it higher, pushing the reckoning for 2020 losses into future years.

However it plays out, the league year begins on March 17 at 4:01 p.m. ET. By then, everyone will know what the league and the union are doing.

>      https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/02/01/2021-salary-cap-may-not-be-known-until-hours-before-new-league-year-begins/

[kelly]

Report: NFL salary cap expected to be roughly $180-$181M

Although the figures won’t be official until the start of the new league year next month, the NFL’s salary cap will be roughly $180-181 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.Many across the league believed that the number would be closer to $175 million. That no longer appears to be the case, as the unofficial number is expected to be slightly higher than anticipated.

Over The Cap currently has the Jets having more than $67 million in available cap space, and that’s before New York makes decisions on some cap casualty candidates, including Henry Anderson and Jamison Crowder.While it remains to be seen what New York’s spending plan will be next month, the Jets have an ocean of cap space and could very well be big spenders in Joe Douglas’ second offseason at helm.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2021/02/08/nfl-salary-cap-expected-180-181-million-jets/

[kelly]

There is a lot riding on this offseason for Joe Douglas.He just picked his next head coach, owns the Nos. 2 and 23 picks in the 2021 draft, and will have at least $63 million in cap space this summer – and possibly more.

Douglas loves financial flexibility. He touted it last offseason when he spent frugally in free agency. That trend could continue this offseason. But to ensure Douglas has the most money at his disposal for potential moves, he will likely do what he did last year and release players with high cap hits that don’t necessarily fit Robert Saleh’s team.

With that in mind, here are seven potential salary cap casualties for the Jets this offseason.

DE Henry Anderson

2021 cap savings if cut: $8.2 million

Anderson’s production dropped precipitously the past two seasons after the Jets signed him to a contract extension. He’s tallied just 1.5 sacks in 29 games after recording seven for the Jets in 2018. Anderson also isn’t a good fit in Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s defense. He’ll likely sit third or fourth on the defensive lineman depth chart and isn’t fast enough to play on the edge as a speed rusher. Anderson is a solid depth player, but not at his current cap hit.

WR Jamison Crowder

2021 cap savings if cut: $10.375 million

The Jets shouldn’t cut Crowder. He’s been their most productive receiver the past two seasons and fits well in Mike LaFleur’s offense – no matter who the quarterback is in 2021. The Jets also don’t have much depth behind Crowder. Keeping Crowder would be worth the price, but he could be on the chopping block if Douglas wants as much cap space as possible this offseason.

OT George Fant

2021 cap savings if cut: $7.35 million

Fant played better and better as the season progressed and may have saved his job after a shaky start to 2020. Odds are Douglas and Saleh will retain Fant to keep some continuity on the offensive line, but he isn’t a lock to stick around. The Jets have multiple avenues to shore up the line this offseason – either in the draft with one of their three picks in the first 34 selections or in free agency – and Fant didn’t always outperform his contract.

OG Alex Lewis

2021 cap savings if cut: $5.191 million

Lewis went through his share of ups and downs in 2020 – both personally and professionally – and could be on the outs in New York. He’s a Douglas favorite after the Jets traded for him in 2019 and re-signed him in 2020, but Lewis’ inconsistent play makes him a questionable roster hold this season.

OG Greg Van Roten

2021 cap savings if cut: $3.4 million

Like many of the Jets offensive linemen, Van Roten had a roller coaster 2020 season. Some weeks he was downright awful, other weeks he was sensational. That kind of volatility isn’t good for a team looking to rebuild and his cap savings could be used elsewhere while the Jets decide to develop younger options.

TE Ryan Griffin

2021 cap savings if cut: $1.848 million

Griffin was another extension bust the Jets could move on from this offseason. A season after catching 34 balls for 320 touchdowns and five scores, Griffin only caught nine receptions for 86 yards in 2020. Mike LaFleur’s offense loves tight ends, but Griffin’s inability to impact the Jets offense last season doesn’t bode well for his viability this year.

WR Josh Doctson 

2021 cap savings if cut: $985,000

Doctson opted out of the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic and used his time to help the less fortunate in Africa. While it’s unknown how he’d play in the Jets’ new offense, the former first-round pick isn’t a lock to keep his spot while the new coaching staff looks at other receiving options.

>     https://jetswire.usatoday.com/lists/new-york-jets-potential-salary-cap-casualties-2021-nfl-offseason/

[kelly]

What Do NFL Analysts Think About the Jets' Financial Flexibility Leading Up to Free Agency ?

NFL Media Analysts Talk About the Jets' Financial Flexibility Heading Into Free Agency

video : 

> https://www.newyorkjets.com/video/what-do-nfl-analysts-think-about-the-jets-financial-flexibility-leading-up-to-fr

[kelly]

 -- There were times last season when it looked like wide receiver Jamison Crowder was the only good thing about the New York Jets' offense. He scored a team-high six touchdowns, twice as many as the next player, and he capped his year by throwing a touchdown in a Week 16 win against the Cleveland Browns.Now there's speculation he could be a salary-cap casualty. Yeah, it's a cold business.

Crowder is vulnerable because his cap charge is a team-high $11.4 million, including a non-guaranteed $10 million in base salary -- a high number for a slot receiver. Because it's the final year of his contract, he's considered an "easy" cut because his entire base would come off the books. Which raises the question :

Does a team with plenty of cap room (a projected $68 million, per Over The Cap) jettison its most productive offensive skill player just because his cap charge is over market?In a vacuum, the answer is a no-brainer -- keep him -- but you don't build a winning roster by operating that way. Jets general manager Joe Douglas plays hardball when it comes to maintaining a value system, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he looks to re-invest that $10 million.Douglas could try to upgrade at slot receiver with JuJu Smith-Schuster (Pittsburgh Steelers) or Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in 2021 NFL free agency; that would cost serious money. He also could opt for a cheaper option, Kendrick Bourne (San Francisco 49ers), who spent the past four years in the system the Jets are planning to install. There's also the possibility of re-negotiating Crowder's contract.

Crowder, who turns 28 on June 17, ranked seventh in receptions (91) and eighth in yards (1,094) on plays from the slot position over the past two seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That's pretty good production for a player who missed four games in 2020 because of soft-tissue injuries and dealt with inconsistency at the quarterback position. Former Jets coach Adam Gase remarked on numerous occasions Crowder was their best player on offense.All told, Crowder finished with 59 catches for 699 yards -- both team highs in 2020, but pedestrian numbers when viewed through a wider lens.

In a bottom-line sense, Crowder's numbers aren't commensurate with his pay. He has the third-highest cap charge among receivers who played at least 50% of their downs from the slot over the past two years, behind the Cleveland Browns' Jarvis Landry ($14.8 million) and the Seattle Seahawks' Tyler Lockett ($13.4 million). Full disclosure: Landry's time in the slot was 49.5%, per ESPN Stats & Info.The downside to cutting Crowder is it would leave the Jets with no proven players at receiver, just promising, second-year player Denzel Mims, backup slot receiver Braxton Berrios and a bunch of question marks. Berrios had a sneaky efficient season, catching 37 passes despite playing 290 snaps -- a better ratio than Crowder (59 catches in 590 snaps).

Crowder would provide personnel continuity through the transition to an offense under coach Robert Saleh, but that probably won't weigh heavily in the decision. This is a new coaching staff with a new offensive system -- a total re-boot -- and it will look to bring in its own players. And you can bet there will be a significant acquisition at wide receiver, whether it's through free agency or the draft.Another factor to consider is the role of the slot receiver in coordinator Mike LaFleur's offense. For insight, let's look at San Francisco, where he spent the past four years working under coach Kyle Shanahan. From 2017 to 2020, the 49ers' wide receivers caught 258 passes out of the slot (29th), according to ESPN Stats & Info. The ranking is a bit skewed because the Niners got a lot of slot production from star tight end George Kittle. It's also worth noting slot receiver Emmanuel Sanders was a key piece during San Francisco's Super Bowl run in 2019.

Good coaches find ways to use good players, and Crowder is a good player. Now they have to decide if he's good enough to pay $10 million.

>   https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/85882/jets-10-million-decision-is-jamison-crowder-a-keeper-in-new-offense

[kelly]

ooops.. sorry/ i apol. 

[kelly]

Jets general manager Joe Douglas is going to have enough cap space this offseason to do pretty much whatever he wants in free agency.

Well, free agents will have to want to sign with the Jets, but money will not be an issue, no matter what the NFL’s 2021 salary cap figure comes in at. The Jets are in great shape financially, mostly because they’ve off-loaded most of their bad contracts and have a quarterback (Sam Darnold) still on his rookie contract.The NFL announced a salary cap floor of $180 million on Thursday, up from the original $175 million figure. The actual cap could come in even higher. No matter what it lands at, the Jets will be fine.At the $180 million figure, Over the Cap has the Jets with $67.9 million in cap space for 2021. They’ll likely cut defensive lineman Henry Anderson, too, which will clear an additional $8 million in cap room.

Guard Alex Lewis, who fell out of favor by the end of the 2020 season, could be cut for more than $5 million in additional savings.New head coach Robert Saleh should be salivating at all the possibilities.The Jets have needs all across the roster, especially on the offensive line, at wide receiver and in the secondary. The significant cap space could allow them to both re-sign safety Marcus Maye while still pursuing other potential secondary upgrades like cornerback Richard Sherman. This is considered a historically deep free agency class at wide receiver, and the Jets could be in the running for players like Kenny Golladay, Will Fuller, Corey Davis, Juju Smith-Schuster, Curtis Samuel, Nelson Agholor, T.Y. Hilton and whoever else actually hits the open market.

It should be an interesting offseason in Florham Park.

> https://www.nj.com/jets/2021/02/jets-will-be-flush-with-cap-space-now-that-nfls-salary-cap-will-be-higher-than-expected.html

@AdamSchefter

NFL informed teams today the salary cap this season will be a minimum of $180 million.

[kelly]

The NFL and NFLPA  reduced the salary cap floor to $175 million ahead of the 2020 season in order to mitigate potential losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. That number went up by $5 million Tuesday, as the league and union informed teams that the salary cap floor will be $180 million before doing final audits to reach a hard cap number for the 2021 season.

When it comes to the Jets, that’s means the rich got a little richer.

OverTheCap.com has New York with $67.9 million in salary cap space for 2021 with the $180 million floor — good enough for third in the NFL behind the Colts and Jaguars, respectively. That number could grow before the beginning of free agency if Henry Anderson and Alex Lewis, two likely cap casualties, are released. Cutting Anderson would give the Jets $8 million in additional salary cap space, while parting ways with Lewis would save more than $5 million.

There’s a chance New York opts to release Jamison Crowder, freeing up an additional $10 million for Joe Douglas to work with. George Fant and Greg Van Roten are among the cap casualty candidates.It might not seem like it given their already top-tier salary cap standing, but the Jets need to muster up every penny they can find to spend this offseason. New York currently has just $5 million more in salary cap space than the Patriots, who are all but certain to be big spenders after a disappointing 2020 season. The more money the Jets have available at their disposal, the better their chances are of keeping up in the arms race with New England.

Regardless of what New York does from this point on, Douglas and Robert Saleh have to be happy with the team’s current financial state. Glaring holes are littered across the Jets’ roster, especially at wide receiver and in the secondary. Douglas has the money to not only re-sign Marcus Maye, but also target the likes of Allen Robinson, Juju Smith-Schuster and Chris Godwin in what is one of the deepest wide receiver free agent classes in recent history. The offensive line is sure to be an area of focus again as well.

There hasn’t been much reason for excitement at One Jets Drive lately, but this offseason could serve as a beacon of hope for New York. It all starts in free agency, where Douglas and Saleh have more than enough financial freedom to work together and take the first steps toward building a winner.

>    What does NFL’s $180M salary cap floor mean for the New York Jets? (usatoday.com)

[kelly]

After heading into the 2021 free agency period as one of the most cash-rich teams in the NFL, the Jets made more ripples than splashes, adding the likes of Carl Lawson, Corey Davis and Sheldon Rankins.The Jets entered the free agency period with more than $67 million in cap space. As they now head into April, the Jets are currently have about $21.7 million in cap space, according to a recent update from the NFLPA.

@RVacchianoSNY

Salary cap space update from the @NFLPA, which as far as I can tell includes all the free-agent activity so far: Giants: $4,546,073 remaining Jets: $21,658,482 remaining.

Including their three biggest signings, the Jets have now added 12 total free agents. Justin Hardee, Keelan Cole, Jarrad Davis, Dan Feeney, Lamarcus Joyner, Tyler Kroft, Vinny Curry, Tevin Coleman, Del’Shawn Phillips round out the remainder of New York’s free agent signings. The Jets also re-upped Vyncint Smith and Josh Adams.

The free agency market has hit a bit of a wall after an initial first wave of signings. While on the surface the Jets appear to be limited from a salary cap standpoint, New York can still make plenty of savvy moves to free up more cap space to make a run at players like Richard Sherman, Trai Turner and Steven Nelson.

The Jets still have logical cap casualty candidates in Alex Lewis, Greg Van Roten, Ryan Griffin and Josh Doctson.Joe Douglas would like to build his team through the draft and needs about $15 million for New York’s picks. That said, the Jets should still have plenty of financial flexibility to make moves throughout the rest of the offseason.

>  https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2021/04/02/jets-salary-cap-update-2021-nfl-free-agency/

[kelly]

joe Douglas has been hard at work patching up a Jets roster littered with holes on both sides of the ball, spending a combined $89.6 million in an effort to give Robert Saleh a competitive roster in 2021 and beyond.New York has signed 11 free agents to date — six on defense, five on offense. Douglas has spent more on upgrading Gang Green’s defense than he has the offense, shelling out $44.6 million in guaranteed money to add upgrades at all three levels, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Meanwhile, $36.9 million has been dedicated to giving Mike LaFleur’s offense an influx of talent.

Carl Lawson’s contract accounts for the bulk of Douglas’ spending on the Jets’ defense, as it took a three-year deal worth $45 million and $30 million in guaranteed money to lure him from Cincinnati to the Big Apple. Jarrad Davis received the second most guaranteed money ($5.5 million), while Sheldon Rankins was given $4.5 million in guaranteed money.New York’s other defensive free agent signings have been more on the cheap end. LaMarcus Joyner received just $2.5 million in guaranteed money, while defensive line depth piece Vinny Curry received $1.1 million in guaranteed money. Cornerback/special teams ace Justin Hardee was given $1 million.

Like Lawson’s contract, Corey Davis’ three-year, $37.5 million deal with $27 million guaranteed is responsible for the majority of Douglas’ free agency spending on offense. Keelan Cole received $5 million in guaranteed money, while $3 million is included in Dan Feeney’s contract. Tyler Kroft was given $1.5 million. Tevin Coleman received the lowest guaranteed total of any Jets free agent signing so far this offseason at $400,000.Defense wins championships, and Douglas has made a concerted effort to give Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich a unit vastly better than the one the Jets featured last season. New York still has plenty of cash to spend this offseason, making it entirely possible Douglas dips deeper into his wallet.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2021/04/04/new-york-jets-2021-nfl-free-agency-spending-offense-defense/

[kelly]

The Jets weren’t looking to trade Sam Darnold to offload his contract, but they did save some money in the process.Darnold was due to count $9.8 million against New York’s cap. Instead, the Jets will get $4.8 million in salary relief while also eating $5 million in dead cap, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

The Panthers will be on the hook for $4.6 million in 2021, but since Carolina will pick up Darnold’s fifth-year option, he’ll be fully guaranteed around $18.8 million in 2022. The Panthers are essentially making a two-year, $23 million commitment to Darnold.The Jets now have around $24.8 million in cap space to operate with, per Over The Cap. Darnold’s dead cap number has raised New York’s dead money to around $21.2 million.

The Jets will likely use some of the salary recouped from the Darnold trade to target a backup quarterback. The only quarterbacks that the Jets have on their roster before April’s draft are James Morgan and Mike White.

>    https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2021/04/06/sam-darnold-trade-cap-relief-jets-panthers/

[kelly]

Now that the dust has settled on the Jets’ trade of quarterback Sam Darnold to the Panthers, let’s take a step back and examine general manager Joe Douglas’ salary cap situation.The Jets will have to take on a $5.01 million dead money cap hit as part of the Darnold trade. But they did free up $4.77 million in cap space by dealing him.That means the Jets currently have $24.84 million in 2021 cap space, according to overthecap.com’s estimate. That ranks fourth in the NFL, behind the Jaguars, Broncos, and Colts.

But remember, the Jets still have to pay their draft picks — most notably, their new quarterback. That’ll probably be BYU’s Zach Wilson, with the second overall pick. Wilson will have a $6.391 million cap hit in 2021. All told, Douglas must set aside about $9.43 million in cap space for his 2021 draft picks, according to overthecap.com.So that essentially lowers Douglas to about $15.41 million in current cap space.That’s still enough to sign a reasonably priced veteran or two (like cornerback Richard Sherman). And remember, teams can roll over cap space from one year to the next.

So Douglas doesn’t need to use all of it this offseason, as he continues to rebuild.While Douglas is probably done making significant roster cuts, in order to free up more cap space, he could still work out a long-term contract with Marcus Maye, his franchise-tagged free safety. That would lower Maye’s 2021 cap number, which is currently $10.61 million — fourth-highest on the team.

>    https://www.nj.com/jets/2021/04/here-is-latest-on-jets-salary-cap-situation-after-joe-douglas-trades-sam-darnold-to-panthers-clearing-way-for-byus-zach-wilson.html