The future is looking bright; Jets have 109 million in projected cap space for 2019;

[ARodJetsFan]

Year 2 of a 3 year rebuilding plan and things are starting to come into focus; the future is looking bright Jets fans....

Jets' rebuilding plan comes into focus, with $100M in 2019 cap room

The only big contract extension on the horizon for the Jets belongs to Leonard Williams. Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

7:00 AM ET

Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer

• Longtime Jets beat writer for New York Daily News
• Syracuse University graduate

Here's a look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1. Plenty of green: The first wave of free agency is over, and here are the spending numbers for the Jets: They doled out $187 million in contracts, including $81 million guaranteed at signing. These totals include their players who re-signed, namely quarterback Josh McCown and cornerback Morris Claiborne.

It sounds like a lot of money -- and it is -- but they avoided the three dirtiest words in sports: They didn't mortgage their future.

The front office, led by general manager Mike Maccagnan, did a nice job of maintaining financial flexibility in 2019. Of the 18 players who signed contracts in the past three weeks, only two received deals that include guaranteed money in 2019: cornerback Trumaine Johnson ($8 million) and linebacker Avery Williamson ($6 million).

As a result, the Jets' nest egg is big enough to hatch a T-Rex. Right now, their projection for 2019 is a league-high $109 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com. The only big contract extension on the horizon belongs to Leonard Williams, who is signed through 2019 (including his fifth-year option).

"It's a nice problem to have," CEO Christopher Johnson said at last week's NFL meetings.

The Jets were willing to spend a big chunk of it (see: Kirk Cousins), but the free-agent quarterback said no to their offer of $90 million guaranteed. In the long run, they will be better off without Cousins -- assuming they pick the right quarterback in the upcoming draft.

The Jets' rebuilding plan is starting to crystallize, and it looks like they're in the middle of a three-year project that started last year.

• Year 1: Rip it apart and start over.

• Year 2: Get the quarterback.

• Year 3: Hit the ground running, with the quarterback surrounded by a team that should be bolstered by three drafts and two years of big spending in free agency.

The Jets still need "parts and pieces," Maccagnan said, but they have more parts and pieces than they did a year ago at this time. By 2019, they should be locked and loaded, ready to contend. No excuses.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/Headlines/ExternalArticle?articleId=507096

[munchmemory]

[20andOut]

Now if we can just pick the right Quarterback!

[Pac]

This sounds familiar.

[ARodJetsFan]

9 minutes ago, 20andOut said:

Now if we can just pick the right Quarterback!

I'm hoping we wind up with Mayfield.....

[T0mShane]

8 minutes ago, Pac said:

This sounds familiar.

If u didn’t like the first three rebuilds u just wait until the fourth rebuild it’s like the matrix 

[Greenseed4]

Notable (unrestricted) free agents next year:

Khalil Mack

Cameron Wake

Jadaveon Clowney

Demarcus Lawrence

 

[Jetscreen]

I don't care about having cap space. I'm tired of this constant rebuilding and Mac/Bowles making excuses for their failures. They need to put up or shut up once and for all. That time is now, this season.

[k-met57]

they need to pick the right QB and be competitive this year. that will crucial for free agents to actually want to come here as opposed to us overpaying them to come here.

[Miss Lonelyhearts]

25 minutes ago, ARodJetsFan said:

Hit the ground running

I think you have to call it something else when you're talking about year five of a three-year rebuild.

[k-met57]

2 minutes ago, Greenseed4 said:

Notable (unrestricted) free agents next year:

Khalil Mack

Cameron Wake

Jadaveon Clowney

Demarcus Lawrence

 

unfortunately if Clowney stays healthy, there is a 0.0 change that he or Mack hit FA. Lawrence is a question mark i think.

[ARodJetsFan]

4 minutes ago, Miss Lonelyhearts said:

I think you have to call it something else when you're talking about year five of a three-year rebuild.

I know where you are coming from but Mac is basically getting a free pass for 2015 & 2016 - which I don't necessarily agree with;

This article is based on looking at the rebuild as having started in 2017.

[Greenseed4]

2 minutes ago, k-met57 said:

unfortunately if Clowney stays healthy, there is a 0.0 change that he or Mack hit FA. Lawrence is a question mark i think.

They’re unrestricted free agents. Technically, they COULD be re-signed, but sometimes those guys wanna test the waters. 

[Larz]

6 minutes ago, Greenseed4 said:

Notable (unrestricted) free agents next year:

Khalil Mack

Cameron Wake

Jadaveon Clowney

Demarcus Lawrence

 

Usually most of them get resigned, but if any of those guys hits the market the Jets have to get them 

After the makeover this year, if the Jets clean up the QB situation they will be a much more desirable place to play 

The uncertainty hurt them this offseason 

[T0mShane]

5 minutes ago, k-met57 said:

unfortunately if Clowney stays healthy, there is a 0.0 change that he or Mack hit FA. Lawrence is a question mark i think.

Relax. I’m sure there’s another 29 year-old corner who will take $80 mil off our hands.

[Beerfish]

Cap space more often  than not is a highly overrated aspect of building a winning team.

Premium players are resigned or franchised.

For any premium players that hit the market a lot of teams can go after them, even teams that don't have cap room can find ways to get it.

There is always big temptation to use all that money and that means over paying and terming guys past their prime.

You should be spending your cap space on your own players whom you have drafted well to get.  The Jets have drafted sh*tty or non impact players thus they have gobs of cap space.

[T0mShane]

1 minute ago, Larz said:

The uncertainty hurt them this offseason

It’s a lot more than “uncertainty.” The Jets have an image and prestige issue. 

 

[Larz]

1 minute ago, T0mShane said:

It’s a lot more than “uncertainty.” The Jets have an image and prestige issue. 

 

Yes, I have pointed that out many times. 

Happy Easter 

[T0mShane]

Just now, Larz said:

Yes, I have pointed that out many times. 

Happy Easter 

Happy Easter.

[Bugg]

6 minutes ago, Larz said:

Usually most of them get resigned, but if any of those guys hits the market the Jets have to get them 

After the makeover this year, if the Jets clean up the QB situation they will be a much more desirable place to play 

The uncertainty hurt them this offseason 

Would expect 3 of the 4 at least get franchised, may be not Wake. 

[NYDreamer]

1 minute ago, T0mShane said:

It’s a lot more than “uncertainty.” The Jets have an image and prestige issue. 

 

When Bill Parcells took over the team he gave instant credibility and Free agents wanted to sign here to play.  My hope is that if we start competing and building this team that we get back to that.

[Larz]

1 minute ago, Bugg said:

Would expect 3 of the 4 at least get franchised, may be not Wake. 

No doubt. I also could see wake being the guy who shakes free. 

 

[T0mShane]

The real value of that $100 mil is as a recruiting tool for a new GM or HC. You market the job as a clean slate, with the added bonus of a young QB the previous regime drafted. If I was running the Jets, I’d make sure to visit Michigan on scouting trips and surreptitiously ask Harbaugh which of these QBs he’d take if he was making the call, then I’d draft that guy.

[T0mShane]

1 minute ago, NYDreamer said:

When Bill Parcells took over the team he gave instant credibility and Free agents wanted to sign here to play.  My hope is that if we start competing and building this team that we get back to that.

You’d have to dump Macc and Bowles, IMO. 

[jgb]

44 minutes ago, ARodJetsFan said:

Year 2 of a 3 year rebuilding plan and things are starting to come into focus; the future is looking bright Jets fans....

So the first 3 years of this regime are what a mulligan? If collecting cap space was a prize, Idzik is the best GM we ever had.

[bla bla bla]

I think we invest heavily into WR next offseason with Kease, Enunwa, and Robby all off their contracts. We could place a RFA tender on Robby if we want.

I think we've been spending smart, if we can get a rookie QB to excite the fan base/team then maybe we can finally attract FAs at a reasonable price.

[dbatesman]

[Larz]

1 minute ago, T0mShane said:

The real value of that $100 mil is as a recruiting tool for a new GM or HC. You market the job as a clean slate, with the added bonus of a young QB the previous regime drafted. If I was running the Jets, I’d make sure to visit Michigan on scouting trips and surreptitiously ask Harbaugh which of these QBs he’d take if he was making the call, then I’d draft that guy.

Agree on everything except Harbaugh. I think he stays at Michigan for many years or at least 1 championship 

Woody / Chris have to set a much higher standard than improvement this time 

Woodys comments tied Chris' hands this past off season. 

 

[bla bla bla]

3 minutes ago, jgb said:

So the first 3 years of this regime are what a mulligan? If collecting cap space was a prize, Idzik is the best GM we ever had.

Mulligan? No but I think they were very clearly trying to win with an old team. Year 1 and 2 just didn't feel like a rebuild to me.

[jgb]

3 minutes ago, bla bla bla said:

Mulligan? No but I think they were very clearly trying to win with an old team. Year 1 and 2 just didn't feel like a rebuild to me.

1. If trying to win, how do you have $100M is cap space?

2. My biggest red flag is players (plural, as in more than one), have reportedly turned down more money to play here. That’s an issue.

 

[maury77]

33 minutes ago, Greenseed4 said:

Notable (unrestricted) free agents next year:

Khalil Mack

Cameron Wake

Jadaveon Clowney

Demarcus Lawrence

 

Additionally, the 2 Minnesota guys (Anthony Barr & Danielle Hunter) are both FAs next off season. Minny will sign one, but I doubt they get both. 

[bla bla bla]

2 minutes ago, jgb said:

1. If trying to win, how do you have $100M is cap space?

2. My biggest red flag is players (plural, as in more than one), have reportedly turned down more money to play here. That’s an issue.

1) Because we tried to win in 2015 and 2016 (year 1 and year 2) last year was 2017, we have that cap space because we went into full rebuild last offseason.

2) I agree, players not wanting to play here is a problem, I think that has more to do with us not having a QB though. This isn't like before the rookie pay scale, teams have tons of money now so there are far more attractive teams than us right now.

Get the QB and a lot of our issues will go out the window.

[jgb]

3 minutes ago, bla bla bla said:

1) Because we tried to win in 2015 and 2016 (year 1 and year 2) last year was 2017, we have that cap space because we went into full rebuild last offseason.

2) I agree, players not wanting to play here is a problem, I think that has more to do with us not having a QB though. This isn't like before the rookie pay scale, teams have tons of money now so there are far more attractive teams than us right now.

Get the QB and a lot of our issues will go out the window.

I pray for (1) health of my children and parents and (2) jets to find a QB and (3) world peace.  In that order 

[Bocajetfan]

3 minutes ago, bla bla bla said:

1) Because we tried to win in 2015 and 2016 (year 1 and year 2) last year was 2017, we have that cap space because we went into full rebuild last offseason.

2) I agree, players not wanting to play here is a problem, I think that has more to do with us not having a QB though. This isn't like before the rookie pay scale, teams have tons of money now so there are far more attractive teams than us right now.

Get the QB and a lot of our issues will go out the window.

Many free agents were getting only 1 year deals also making other teams more attractive. When more years are guaranteed player perspective may change.

[Integrity28]

Build through the draft by drafting 5 contributing players in 3 years, then handing out $200m in free agent contracts in years 4-5 of your 3 year rebuild.

YUP. They definitely had a great plan.