2019 Free Agent Tracker

[More Cowbell]

18 hours ago, jgb said:

Well, other than Peyton Manning to Broncos I can't think of any other examples of getting the top FA won a Superbowl in the last two years.  

But of course I respect your position. I just think with a QB on rook contract if there's a time (only time) to be bold in FA it's now.

Funny thing about the Manning stat, he was the least of reasons they won that year. 

[Jetster]

Le'veon Bell is a no brainer. He's had a year off so he's fresh as a DAISY. We have a rookie QB under a rookie contract. The Colts are the only team with more money but are set with Mack. 

Bell is not only a running back, he's one of the premier pass catching backs in the league hence top 3 fantasy pick EVERY YEAR because he produces, does not have to come off the field & forces safeties & LBs to the edges & sticking their noses into the backfield making play action super easy. 

OLINE! BELL!PASS RUSH! 

If we came out of free agency with Trent Brown, Matt Paradis, Jadaveon Clowney & Le'veon Bell heading into the draft I'd be a pretty damn happy Jet fan! 

Thats 4 free agents. Draft. Cheap vet fills in after the draft & before camp.

[peekskill68]

3 hours ago, Mackman55 said:

Hey, I'm not a huge Bell supporter but Coleman is not in the same galaxy ability wise. I'd support signing Bell than wasting our $$ on a second tier runner like Coleman. This is what Mac did last year when he signed an extremely average Isaiah Crowell.

Not sure about this.  No doubt Bell is better.  But Coleman will likely give you 1000 yds rushing and 50-60 catches if you feature him (don't know how durable he is)  What would you get with Bell optimistically?  1200 rushing and 70-80 catches?    Maybe Coleman for $20 million gtee vs $50 million for Bell?  

[Skeptable]

On 1/23/2019 at 10:23 AM, CTJetsFan said:

Wide Receivers:

Wide Receivers

Larry Fitzgerald (35)
Golden Tate (30)
Devin Funchess (24)
John Brown (29)
Jamison Crowder (25)
Tyrell Williams (27)
Randall Cobb (28)
Donte Moncrief (25)
Phillip Dorsett (26)
Cordarrelle Patterson (29)
Adam Humphries (25)
Chris Hogan (30)
Cole Beasley (29)
Rishard Matthews (29)
Mike Wallace (32)
Breshad Perriman (25)
Dontrelle Inman (30)
Tavon Austin (29)
Chris Conley (26)
Jordan Matthews (26)
Aldrick Robinson (30)
Bruce Ellington (27)
Michael Floyd (29)
Kelvin Benjamin (28)
J.J. Nelson (26)
Justin Hardy (27)
Jermaine Kearse (29)
Ryan Grant (28)
Russell Shepard (28)
Deonte Thompson (30)
Eli Rogers (26)
Justin Hunter (27)
De’Anthony Thomas (26)
Dez Bryant (30)
Cody Latimer (26)
Kevin White (26)
T.J. Jones (26)
Dwayne Harris (31)
Andre Roberts (31)
Josh Bellamy (29)
Rashad Greene (26)
Bennie Fowler (27)
Geremy Davis (27)
Darrius Heyward-Bey (32)
Rod Streater (31)
Brandon LaFell (32)
Carlos Henderson (24)

ArDarius Stewart (25)

 

That's a terrible crop of WRs good thing the draft is full of high upside but high risk WRs. Hopefully they can figure out some way to get metcalf... Then you could have Metcalf, Anderson, Enuwa, and sign Crowder... still not great... maybe they can trade for Green or Brown but I doubt it.

[bitonti]

4 minutes ago, Skeptable said:

 maybe they can trade for Green or Brown but I doubt it.

 

if the Jets could trade down and get Marquise Brown or AJ Brown it would truly be the best case scenario.  they could recoup some of the 2/3 capital and draft OL multiple times.  the fans  and media would love it.  

 

[Skeptable]

11 minutes ago, bitonti said:

if the Jets could trade down and get Marquise Brown or AJ Brown it would truly be the best case scenario.  they could recoup some of the 2/3 capital and draft OL multiple times.  the fans  and media would love it.  

 

Metcalf is way better

[Dcat]

22 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

Larry Fitzgerald re-signed with the Cardinals last night.

My favorite non-Jet player in the NFL.  Possibly of all time.  What a great guy.  The face of the Cardinals franchise.  I wish all athletes were like him on and off the field.  $16 million for one last season...  good signing.

[JetFaninMI]

I like Coleman and Humphries. I check in with Cobb and see if he would go for a prove it one year deal. If not I pass on him. You want young guys who will grow with Sam on offense. No one over 27 at the skill positions please. I check in with Bell but I feel like he will pull a Cousins and take less to go with a team closer to contention than the Jets are.

[Philc1]

14 hours ago, bealeb319 said:

If clowney is permitted to test the waters we need to bring him in and lock the doors if we could sign him and maybe Fowler then we could easily justify reaching for a lt prospect or wr in the first round.

Sent from my LGUS991 using JetNation.com mobile app
 

Yes if we sign both Clowney and Fowler go ahead reach for Jonah 

[Philc1]

1 hour ago, Skeptable said:

That's a terrible crop of WRs good thing the draft is full of high upside but high risk WRs. Hopefully they can figure out some way to get metcalf... Then you could have Metcalf, Anderson, Enuwa, and sign Crowder... still not great... maybe they can trade for Green or Brown but I doubt it.

Jets absolutely need to sign a slot receiver

 

Tate or Beasley please

[Philc1]

1 hour ago, peekskill68 said:

Not sure about this.  No doubt Bell is better.  But Coleman will likely give you 1000 yds rushing and 50-60 catches if you feature him (don't know how durable he is)  What would you get with Bell optimistically?  1200 rushing and 70-80 catches?    Maybe Coleman for $20 million gtee vs $50 million for Bell?  

Coleman is a good back who can catch out of the backfield and will cost maybe 20% of Bell’s money

[slats]

4 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

My reason is more the belief (ok, the hope) that he'll help greatly in Darnold's development; not due to an unrealistic idea that we'll be serious SB contenders in the next 2 years absent that development taking major strides. One can point to Goff's strides in year 2, then further in year 3, to lift the team into contention, but he didn't do it with castoff FA Isaiah Crowell and his late-round backups lining up behind him. 

Bell sat out the season and Roethlisberger had one of his best seasons ever. His first 5000+ season. 

Sam already looks like a QB who can get thru his reads. Bell would've been awesome for the development of Geno or Sanchez, but for Sam, I want more (plural) guys running routes. Instead of the $15M/year on Bell, That should be able to get me a WR, TE, and a RB who would all contribute this year. I also don't like putting all my eggs in basket and that's what you're doing when you spend that money on Bell. He gets hurt, smokes weed, or decides he doesn't wanna play for what you're paying him anymore, and probably 60% of your free agency weaponz budget has been rendered useless. 

Get Sam multiple targets, providing depth all around so we're not trotting out Burnett and Roberts as WRs at the end of the year, and let him spread the ball around the field. That's how he develops. 

[AL047]

That free agent list will be getting bigger with teams cutting players to get under the salary cap. There will be more names added to that list that we don't know of yet. All we need to do is wait when teams start cutting down.

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, slats said:

Bell sat out the season and Roethlisberger had one of his best seasons ever. His first 5000+ season. 

Sam already looks like a QB who can get thru his reads. Bell would've been awesome for the development of Geno or Sanchez, but for Sam, I want more (plural) guys running routes. Instead of the $15M/year on Bell, That should be able to get me a WR, TE, and a RB who would all contribute this year. I also don't like putting all my eggs in basket and that's what you're doing when you spend that money on Bell. He gets hurt, smokes weed, or decides he doesn't wanna play for what you're paying him anymore, and probably 60% of your free agency weaponz budget has been rendered useless. 

Get Sam multiple targets, providing depth all around so we're not trotting out Burnett and Roberts as WRs at the end of the year, and let him spread the ball around the field. That's how he develops. 

Yeah generally I feel the same. My reasons for breaking with habit are:

• I think even though he might only have 20% more yards stats-wise, doesn't mean his value is only 20% more cap-wise. 
• If Pittsburgh felt he was that replaceable for them they wouldn't have tagged him. The issue for them (which is one I'm most reluctant about myself) is the length of guaranteed money more than any one year's amount. I don't think there's a unilateral causation factor with regard to Ben's passing numbers rising since it also correlates to a second #1 WR coming into his own.
• I don't think the money will be spent wisely anyway by this GM. He'll throw it at trash, like an edge rusher based on 1 year's production, whom we'll regret signing almost immediately.
• There isn't a wealth of great WR targets anyway, and even if there are there's no guarantee they're going to be jumping to sign here above all others.
• They aren't winning a SB anyway. Not with this GM drafting and arguably not with Gase either. So even though it's the opposite of frugality in terms of production per dollar, I wouldn't kick & scream about it this time lol.

I get all the downside reasons. I know them all because I repeat them annually; especially regarding ultra-high priced RBs who are typically only as good as their OL.

[#27TheDominator]

 

Like @slats and @Sperm Edwards I am usually all for cheaping out on free agents and spreading the money around.  I can be talked into Bell because I think he is better than most of you guys do and I think RBs are coming back into vogue.  He can catch, he is young and I think the quitting on his team thing is overblown.  The Steelers grossly overused him on the first tag, not signing may have been the only way to protect himself.  People like to act like the Steelers didn't miss a beat, but since Bell has been in the league they have lost the division 3 times - when he was a rookie, when he tore his MCL and served a suspension in 2015, and last year.  Those are also the only times they didn't win 11 games or more. 

The worse Steelers D made it easier to put up numbers IMO.  The team is something like 42-20 with him and 17-13-1 without him since he came into the  NFL. I am worried about the multiple drug suspension and missing a year.  A year off and away from tests isn't comforting.  OTOH, Having him would mean much more than Crowell and Kearse if those are the kind of weapons we are adding. Better one stud and fill in the blanks than. more middling starters.  OTOH, there is still the likelihood that his contract hits numbers I would find insane to sign him for.  

 

[CTJetsFan]

4 hours ago, Skeptable said:

That's a terrible crop of WRs good thing the draft is full of high upside but high risk WRs. Hopefully they can figure out some way to get metcalf... Then you could have Metcalf, Anderson, Enuwa, and sign Crowder... still not great... maybe they can trade for Green or Brown but I doubt it.

Agree. Hope they don't spend a lot of FA $ on this class and focus on drafting maybe 2 WRs (yes, I'm hoping we trade down and pick up another pick or 2).

[rangerous]

9 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Kind of.

If they decide to go in that obvious direction they should be adding no fewer than 3 offensive linemen this year; at least two of whom are sure thing instant veteran starters added from FA. 

Bell is a FA when he's a FA; you can't add a player after he's no longer available. You can only get him when he is, and it's not an option to tell him to wait another year for our GM to finish/complete his latest OL overhaul attempt (this time with draft picks!).

My reason is more the belief (ok, the hope) that he'll help greatly in Darnold's development; not due to an unrealistic idea that we'll be serious SB contenders in the next 2 years absent that development taking major strides. One can point to Goff's strides in year 2, then further in year 3, to lift the team into contention, but he didn't do it with castoff FA Isaiah Crowell and his late-round backups lining up behind him. 

So even if we're straddling 8-8 +/-2 without serious contention, at least we'll be watching fun football with a bright opportunity for any future season through 2035 once players they eventually draft will allow a more balanced team investment in it's more-costly veterans.

For now? Devote the cap space predominantly to surrounding Sam - on the field with him, not for a $10MM washed up player (at his own position) that doesn't play alongside him - for a couple years so he sinks or swims without the usual missing-wepponz excuses. If some of it is wasted, I accept that most would have been wasted anyway.

at least they don't need to throw 10mm at mccown anymore. totally agree on the number of players they need immediately on the oline.

[BettyBoop]

I believe great QBs make good WR very good or even great.  I think Sam has that gift.  I don't believe we should be spending too much on FA or high picks (1st or 2nd round) on WR.  As many posters feel, I think we should be 'protecting' Sam by getting him an offensive line.  There are several RB who can be had in the third and fourth rounds (like Bilal Powell was) who would thrive on this team.  Ditto a WR.  

• I think Tevin Coleman would be money well spent and would complement Crowell, McGuire and Cannon nicely especially if we could nab a guy like Benny Snell, David Montgomery or Karan Higdon in round 3.  
• There are just too many bigger needs this year than a #1 receiver.  Signing Humphries or Funchess would be a first good step.  Deebo Samuel might slip to the third round and he would be a valuable addition.
• Mr. Maccagnan, I would like to introduce you to the center position of an NFL offense and explain how critical it is.  The OL functions as a unit and one weak link (see Wesley Johnson/Spencer Long) destroys the entire line.  You have ignored it for far too long and it has blown up the entire offense.  SIGN MATT PARADIS or MITCH MORSE.  End of discussion.
• The rest of the OL needs to be addressed in free agency even before pass rusher.  Mark Glowinski would be a huge upgrade over Carpenter.  Sign him.  Trent Brown, JaWuan James, or Donvoan Smith needs to be next.  We can't go into the draft with a HUGE hole at LT.  It's time to let Beachum walk and get his replacement.  I can live with Winters and Shell on the right side for another year so long as we draft their replacements in rounds 4-6.
• On defense, I would go after Anthony Barr,  Grady Jarrett and Shaquil Barrett in that order.  Between Trent Brown and Trey Flowers one of them should shake loose from the Pats and I would sign him.   Different positions but they both fill huge needs.  A tier 2 CB would be a nice addition as well.  

I would love to go into the draft with these holes filled and let the draft 'come to us'.  Between Bosa, Q. Williams and Haskins, that third pick is very valuable to fill a big need or trade back.  

 

[CanadienJetsFan]

 

Adam Humphries seems like an interesting find. 25 years old,  plays slot receiver and had a very good year ( 816 yards)

 I doubt that Tampa would let him walk, but he’d be a perfect addition.

[joewilly12]

10 players Giants and Jets could target from Super Bowl LIII in free agency

The Rams and Patriots have intriguing players with expiring players

By Ralph Vacchiano | 5:06PM

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Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

What's the best way for the Giants and Jets to catch up to the Patriots and Rams? Stealing some of their players would be a pretty good start.

While they won't be able to poach Tom Brady, Todd Gurley, or any of the real elite players on either of the Super Bowl LIII teams, both of teams have a long list of intriguing players who are currently scheduled to become free agents on March 13.

Here are 10 - five from the Rams, and five from the Patriots - who should interest the New York teams the most:

DE/LB Dante Fowler, Rams

The Jets have tried several times to trade for him, so they almost certainly will be interested when the market opens. He instantly improved the Rams' pass rush when he was acquired from the Jaguars mid-season. He's probably more suited to the Giants' scheme as a 3-4 edge-rusher, but new Jets coordinator Gregg Williams surely could find ways to use him in his 4-3.

Pass rushers cost a lot, though. The Jets, with their $100 million in cap space, have the advantage there.

DE Trey Flowers, Patriots

Once teams start using the franchise tag on some of the top pass rushers, Flowers could end up being the best one on the market. The Patriots aren't likely to pay him, so he should be free.

His versatility makes him a fit for both New York teams. He has 21 sacks the last three seasons and he's terrific against the run, too.

LT Trent Brown, Patriots

He filled in wonderfully after the Patriots let Nate Solder go to the Giants, and now he's in an interesting situation. His contract is up, he'll likely command big money, and next season the Pats will get back LT Isaiah Wynn, the 23rd overall pick in the 2018 draft who tore his Achilles last summer.

The Pats won't pay big money to Brown if Wynn is ready to step in. He was a right tackle with the 49ers, and could be a fit there for either the Giants or Jets. But he may cost as much as Solder did last spring.

WR Chris Hogan, Patriots

He's not the No. 1 receiver the Jets so desperately need, but he's an outstanding deep threat which should interest the Giants. He's basically a 35-catch, 450-yard player, though he was on his way to bigger numbers last season until a shoulder injury derailed him.

He's a New Jersey native and shouldn't cost a lot. Imagine his speed drawing attention away from Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard.

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Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) makes a catch during the second half of the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports (Mark Rebilas)

 

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G Rodger Saffold, Rams

A terrific guard, even at 31. The Jets probably want to go younger to replace James Carpenter, but the Giants could use him if they don't re-sign Jamon Brown. Saffold wants to stay in L.A., though, and has signaled a willingness to return there for less money.

DT Ndamukong Suh, Rams

The Jets looked into him last year, though that may have been more Todd Bowles than Mike Maccagnan. Suh comes with a lot of baggage, but he's a lock for 4-5 sacks per season, and plenty of pressure and pass deflections.

The Jets may need defensive tackle help as they transition to a 4-3. Wouldn't hurt the Giants either as part of a D-line rotation. The price will have to be right, though.

CB Jason McCourty, Patriots

 A very solid cornerback who likely won't attract top money on the market. The Giants have flirted with the McCourty family in the past, and the Nyack natives and Rutgers grads have long dreamed of a reunion on their hometown teams.

They finally played together in New England this season, but Devin, the safety, is still a year ahead of free agency. Giants definitely need help at corner, especially if they part ways with Janoris Jenkins.

RB C.J. Anderson, Rams

Notice how the Rams haven't missed much of a beat since Gurley got hurt? That's the value of a player like Anderson, who is still only 27. At 5-foot-8, 224 pounds and with only one full season as a starter (in his six NFL seasons), he's not a No. 1 guy. But neither New York team needs him to be. He'd be a great backup to Saquon Barkley, or whomever the Jets make their top running back (like, say, Le'Veon Bell).

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(Derick E. Hingle)

 

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S LaMarcus Joyner, Rams

He was terrific in 2017, so the Rams hit him with the franchise tag, but he wasn't nearly as good this past season. That makes his free agent value a little murky.

The Jets, with two young safeties, have no use for him, but the Giants could use someone to either play with S Landon Collins, or to replace him if they don't franchise him or able to sign him to a long-term deal.

RT LaAdrian Waddle, Patriots

He's had an injury-filled career, but he's 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, started three games for the Patriots this season, and don't forget how desperately both New York teams need help on the offensive line.

He shouldn't cost much - far less than Brown, certainly -- and he'd be an upgrade over Chad Wheelerat right tackle for the Giants. he could also be insurance for the Jets at right tackle in case Brandon Shell can't make it all the way back from the "complicated" knee surgery he had in December.

[joewilly12]

Jets may not get chance to lure free agent LB Dee Ford to New York

Ford says Chiefs as the top priority, even with franchise tag

6:16PM

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As the Jets scope the free agent market for players to spend their $100 million in cap space on, Chiefs LB Dee Ford is a very intriguing option. He had a career year with 13 sacks and 55 tackles in 16 games this regular season, and since the Jets need production in their pass rush, Ford would be a top candidate. 

The only thing is Ford isn't really looking to test the market. 

Speaking at Thursday's AFC Pro Bowl practice, Ford showed his loyalty to the Chiefs when about whether or not he wants to pack his bags and play for a new city next season. 

"That's the option," he told NFL.com's Herbie Teope. "Of course, that's home to me. I love the community and I'm just used to that environment, so I'll be blessed to be able to stay. We'll cross that bridge once we get there."

The Chiefs have the option to franchise tag Ford, who made $8.718 million under his fifth-yer option from the rookie contract he signed after being the 23rd overall pick back in 2014. Players obviously want the long-term deal when they can get it, but Ford says he doesn't mind getting franchise tagged if it means staying where he is now. 

"That's out of my control," he said. "If it happens, it happens, and I don't mind it."

Ford's production this season, especially in the Divisional Round matchup against the Colts, sparked Jets S Jamal Adams to tweet about wanting to see No. 55 in green and white next season. 

"Yeah I like #55 Dee Ford off that end for us! Let's pay him what he wants!" Adams tweeted in a post that has since been deleted.

But there's a high possibility the Jets won't be able to make Adams' dreams come true. Still, there are other options in free agency like Jadaveon Clowney, Demarcus Lawrence, and Frank Clark that could be on New York's radar. 

 

[Sperm Edwards]

10 hours ago, peekskill68 said:

If the Jets were to go more to a Sabermetric type of analysis I wonder how they would rate Tevin Coleman vs. Bell? Production would likely be less but at a fraction of the cost...

No doubt, but the presumption with such a $-per-yard analysis is that those stats occur independent of other butterfly-type effects.

Football is much more a team sport than baseball, in that all the on-field players are interacting simultaneously. Yes one batter having a 5% superior OBP will allow the batter behind him 5% more plate appearances, and in turn the batters after him in a domino effect. But it's also true that while you get on base more with walks you don't get the runners in with walks. At some point someone has to not just hit, but hit with men on base, and hit with men on base in crucial situations at that. 

I'm not even in the must get Le'veon Bell at all costs crowd. It goes without saying that it is far more efficient to draft a Bell (or a Bell-"light" like Melvin Gordon, though not in the top 10) than sign 27 year-old Bell to $15MM/year with some $40MM+ guaranteed. I definitely don't want to give him (effectively) 3 fully guaranteed seasons: he'll be 29 then, has a lot of tread on his tires even with all the time he's missed, and has hardly been immune to injuries himself.

I just think the extra he brings as an elite receiver (without having to announce it's a pass like with a dedicated 3rd down/receiving back) may be worth it for Sam and Sam alone. As much as any reason because I see the extra $8-10MM over an otherwise good-enough back as money that'll likely get pissed away anyhow. 

[Creepy Lurker]

31 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

No doubt, but the presumption with such a $-per-yard analysis is that those stats occur independent of other butterfly-type effects.

Football is much more a team sport than baseball, in that all the on-field players are interacting simultaneously. Yes one batter having a 5% superior OBP will allow the batter behind him 5% more plate appearances, and in turn the batters after him in a domino effect. But it's also true that while you get on base more with walks you don't get the runners in with walks. At some point someone has to not just hit, but hit with men on base, and hit with men on base in crucial situations at that. 

I'm not even in the must get Le'veon Bell at all costs crowd. It goes without saying that it is far more efficient to draft a Bell (or a Bell-"light" like Melvin Gordon, though not in the top 10) than sign 27 year-old Bell to $15MM/year with some $40MM+ guaranteed. I definitely don't want to give him (effectively) 3 fully guaranteed seasons: he'll be 29 then, has a lot of tread on his tires even with all the time he's missed, and has hardly been immune to injuries himself.

I just think the extra he brings as an elite receiver (without having to announce it's a pass like with a dedicated 3rd down/receiving back) may be worth it for Sam and Sam alone. As much as any reason because I see the extra $8-10MM over an otherwise good-enough back as money that'll likely get pissed away anyhow. 

Sam needs the best checkeown possible. Even if we spend on O-line and improve the o-line, it won’t become a great o-line overnight. We need 2 seasons of HEAVY focus there before our o-line is strong.

Sam needs his safety valve. Even when the o-line is good, it’d be like an extra receiver on the field and works with an efficient/low risk ball control offense which is important for the windy weather at the meadowlands. 

I was completely against trading for Bell last year and didn’t think he’d be worth the money in any situation. I still don’t think he’ll be worth the contract that we get but our roster building has to be situational. It can’t be narrowminded and inflexible.

You can’t just go strict BPA with no positional weighting and draft players at non-premium positions that will become available as FA and not consider reaching a little to fill a desperate need that doesn’t become available in free agency. You also can’t be afraid to over pay and splurge to ensure you get your guy and fill crucial holes in a talent bare free agent pool where there is a lot of competition.

We have to be aggressive with a few moves and then fill the roster with “value” free agents which will surely be expensive due to the sheer amount of said players needed. Bell is an important target for the Jets given the state of the roster and the current NFL environment of player availability. 

[Sperm Edwards]

22 hours ago, Jetster said:

Le'veon Bell is a no brainer. He's had a year off so he's fresh as a DAISY. We have a rookie QB under a rookie contract. The Colts are the only team with more money but are set with Mack. 

Bell is not only a running back, he's one of the premier pass catching backs in the league hence top 3 fantasy pick EVERY YEAR because he produces, does not have to come off the field & forces safeties & LBs to the edges & sticking their noses into the backfield making play action super easy. 

OLINE! BELL!PASS RUSH! 

If we came out of free agency with Trent Brown, Matt Paradis, Jadaveon Clowney & Le'veon Bell heading into the draft I'd be a pretty damn happy Jet fan! 

Thats 4 free agents. Draft. Cheap vet fills in after the draft & before camp.

Even if you wanted to take the position that he's a no-brainer this year regardless of price, even as someone who's not averse to signing him I'll freely admit he's certainly not a no-brainer for 3 fully-guaranteed seasons at that rate. Like with most things, the devil's in the details. The issue with inking 3 (if not 4) elite-level veteran contracts is the money washes up really fast, and that includes perhaps a second veteran starter WR contract.

I will say I'm on board with 3/4 of your wish list - no less than half of it - which is more than I'd typically get out of a Jets offseason.

Not sure about Brown, since he gets so much benefit from Brady and Brady-influenced refs that we won't have, but I'm not exactly in awe of Beachum either. Is Brown really such a rock-solid LT or is it just that he's a better LT than Cannon; I'd be lying if I said I focused on him all season long, as would >99% of us. But at least you're going adding 2 sure-starter veterans for the OL. Thing is it takes 2 to tango; both have to want to come here, too. At least money shouldn't be an issue for us (then again it wasn't last year either and all we ended up with was Kyle Long and his backup.

[Sperm Edwards]

4 minutes ago, Creepy Lurker said:

Sam needs the best checkeown possible. Even if we spend on O-line and improve the o-line, it won’t become a great o-line overnight. We need 2 seasons of HEAVY focus there before our o-line is strong.

Sam needs his safety valve. Even when the o-line is good, it’d be like an extra receiver on the field and works with an efficient/low risk ball control offense which is important for the windy weather at the meadowlands. 

I was completely against trading for Bell last year and didn’t think he’d be worth the money in any situation. I still don’t think he’ll be worth the contract that we get but our roster building has to be situational. It can’t be narrowminded and inflexible.

You can’t just go strict BPA with no positional weighting and draft players at non-premium positions that will become available as FA and not consider reaching a little to fill a desperate need that doesn’t become available in free agency. You also can’t be afraid to over pay and splurge to ensure you get your guy and fill crucial holes in a talent bare free agent pool where there is a lot of competition.

We have to be aggressive with a few moves and then fill the roster with “value” free agents which will surely be expensive due to the sheer amount of said players needed. Bell is an important target for the Jets given the state of the roster and the current NFL environment of player availability. 

Yeah this is more or less my thinking. Is it the best way to spend? Not even close.

The amount of waste, though, presumes the money will be wisely spent if it goes elsewhere (e.g. a patchwork of 3 lesser, Long/Kearse/Crowell-like players who are between meh & worse most of the time; Bell and a pair of FA or later-round leftovers given more prominent semi-starter roles are the more valuable trio IMO, and cumulatively the cap hit is about the same).

[Creepy Lurker]

1 minute ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Yeah this is more or less my thinking. Is it the best way to spend? Not even close.

The amount of waste, though, presumes the money will be wisely spent if it goes elsewhere (e.g. a patchwork of 3 lesser, Long/Kearse/Crowell-like players who are between meh & worse most of the time; Bell and a pair of FA or later-round leftovers given more prominent semi-starter roles are the more valuable trio IMO, and cumulatively the cap hit is about the same).

I completely agree. We have 2 years to overpay and fill out the roster. Worry about the cap when it becomes an issue. Having too much cap space shows complete mismanagement of a roster. It is what it is and we are already in the hole.

Time is limited for Sam’s development and on his rookie deal. We can’t ruin his early years because he won’t develope and surely won’t resign with us. This is a no brainer.

Defense is where we need to cut back for now. I want to see some player development from late round picks and value FA signings. Save that cap space for the offense.

[JoJoTownsell1]

20 hours ago, AL047 said:

That free agent list will be getting bigger with teams cutting players to get under the salary cap. There will be more names added to that list that we don't know of yet. All we need to do is wait when teams start cutting down.

Yeah, I keep hearing the talking heads saying the free agent crop isn't great. It doesn't have to be when many of the better players become cap casualties either by getting cut or traded for a late round pick. 

I have been saying this since the Antonio Brown thing started. He isn't going for a 1st, he isn't going for a 2nd. I am not saying we should go after him, the point is that really good players will become available and the teams with tons of cap space will get add really good players (with big contracts) for pennies on the dollar. 

[Jetster]

24 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Yeah this is more or less my thinking. Is it the best way to spend? Not even close.

The amount of waste, though, presumes the money will be wisely spent if it goes elsewhere (e.g. a patchwork of 3 lesser, Long/Kearse/Crowell-like players who are between meh & worse most of the time; Bell and a pair of FA or later-round leftovers given more prominent semi-starter roles are the more valuable trio IMO, and cumulatively the cap hit is about the same).

The other part of this that fans don't understand is again Bells experience factor. He's done it all, he walks into camp knowing how to set up his blockers, knowing how to move into spots so Sam has him as a safety valve, and he's an underrated blocker on blitzes too. One of the reasons young RBs are EASED into the offense is they don't understand blocking schemes and sometimes miss assignments & get the QB killed. Bell walks right into camp and instantly becomes the best RB in Jets history along with Martin, McNeil & Riggins.

[Ex-Rex]

Trey Flowers and Rodger Saffold or Mike Iupati would be a good start. Plus sign a few of our own like Qvale and Kearse. Golden Tate would be a nice addition.

[peekskill68]

2 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I just think the extra he brings as an elite receiver (without having to announce it's a pass like with a dedicated 3rd down/receiving back) may be worth it for Sam and Sam alone. As much as any reason because I see the extra $8-10MM over an otherwise good-enough back as money that'll likely get pissed away anyhow. 

Good analysis.  The question I have is whether Coleman could become a "Bell light" back similar to Melvin Gordon or whether using him as an every down player would expose him. He's also only 25...

[#27TheDominator]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

The other part of this that fans don't understand is again Bells experience factor. He's done it all, he walks into camp knowing how to set up his blockers, knowing how to move into spots so Sam has him as a safety valve, and he's an underrated blocker on blitzes too. One of the reasons young RBs are EASED into the offense is they don't understand blocking schemes and sometimes miss assignments & get the QB killed. Bell walks right into camp and instantly becomes the best RB in Jets history along with Martin, McNeil & Riggins.

I get that Bell is NFL ready, but there it still usually takes some time to acclimate to a new offense.  Bell has basically only played for Todd Haley.  This really won't matter too much on the Jets because they will all be new to Gase's offense. 

[Sperm Edwards]

On 1/23/2019 at 2:03 PM, jgb said:

Well, other than Peyton Manning to Broncos I can't think of any other examples of getting the top FA won a Superbowl in the last two years.  

But of course I respect your position. I just think with a QB on rook contract if there's a time (only time) to be bold in FA it's now.

I'd include the Rams (should they win). Some was trade for another's veterans; some was pure FA. But about half their starting offense wasn't drafted by the Rams and were added in the last 2 offseasons:

1. Robert Woods 2017
2. Brandin Cooks 2018
3. Andrew Whitworth 2017
4. John Sullivan 2017
5. Austin Blythe 2017 (though hardly a splashy acquisition)

I'm not even counting CJ Anderson, even though he was a key part of their Dallas win, because everyone knows who's the starter out there.

Then on defense there's

1. Suh 2018
2. Fowler 2018
3. Talib 2018
4. Peters 2018 (though no one's crediting his play with their SB appearance)
5. Barron 2014

They've got 10 of 22 starters acquired acquired from FA (9) and trade (1). 9 of 10 were in the last 2 years alone; 5 of the 9 in this 2018 outright. In addition is the now ultra-famous NB Robey-Coleman they'd picked up as a FA and then extended. He technically isn't a starter but he's on the field more than he's off.

So call it about half their starters/regulars. That's a major investment in players cast aside by other teams, primarily in such a short/recent window, though 8 of their other starters were drafted by the Rams before those 2017-2018 vets were acquired.

[jgb]

4 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I'd include the Rams (should they win). Some was trade for another's veterans; some was pure FA. But about half their starting offense wasn't drafted by the Rams and were added in the last 2 offseasons:

1. Robert Woods 2017
2. Brandin Cooks 2018
3. Andrew Whitworth 2017
4. John Sullivan 2017
5. Austin Blythe 2017 (though hardly a splashy acquisition)

I'm not even counting CJ Anderson, even though he was a key part of their Dallas win, because everyone knows who's the starter out there.

Then on defense there's

1. Suh 2018
2. Fowler 2018
3. Talib 2018
4. Peters 2018 (though no one's crediting his play with their SB appearance)
5. Barron 2014

They've got 10 of 22 starters acquired acquired from FA (9) and trade (1). 9 of 10 were in the last 2 years alone; 5 of the 9 in this 2018 outright. In addition is the now ultra-famous NB Robey-Coleman they'd picked up as a FA and then extended. He technically isn't a starter but he's on the field more than he's off.

So call it about half their starters/regulars. That's a major investment in players cast aside by other teams, primarily in such a short/recent window, though 8 of their other starters were drafted by the Rams before those 2017-2018 vets were acquired.

Yeah it’s pretty lazy thinking to say “the only way to win is through the draft.”

No. The best way to win is through the draft. But if you’re a bad cook you need to order in.

[Beerfish]

10 hours ago, Ex-Rex said:

Trey Flowers and Rodger Saffold or Mike Iupati would be a good start. Plus sign a few of our own like Qvale and Kearse. Golden Tate would be a nice addition.

You totally lost me at Qvale and kearse, both pure and utter garbage last year.

[Jetster]

12 hours ago, Beerfish said:

You totally lost me at Qvale and kearse, both pure and utter garbage last year.

I don't want Tate either. No to all 3.