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2021 NY JETS/NFL FREE AGENCY DRAFT TRADES RUMORS HAPPENINGS ***


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Jets’ plans at quarterback are becoming increasingly clear

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Dennis Young, New York Daily News
Wed, March 3, 2021, 4:35 PM
 
 

NEW YORK — Jets GM Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh haven’t quite tipped their hand for their plans at quarterback yet, but those plans are becoming increasingly clear.

Sam Darnold is on the block.

Trading for Deshaun Watson is unlikely.

Perhaps the clearest statement came from Douglas when he was asked a leading question about trading the Jets’ boatload of picks for a player. “Ultimately, for us to get where the great teams are, the most consistent teams are, you do that through the draft,” Douglas said. “It’s the most team-friendly market in sports. For us to be really that team that’s consistently competing for Super Bowls, we have to hit on our draft picks.”

 

Douglas didn’t mention Watson, but he’s the one player that the Jets could possibly grab in a trade, and what they have to give up in return are those precious draft picks.

Douglas and Saleh continued their effusive praise of Darnold, but that praise has always been paired with a refusal to commit to him as the team’s quarterback.

“He’s an extremely talented player, very smart, very tough. We have no doubt that Sam is going to achieve his outstanding potential,” Douglas said. The clear omission: where Darnold will achieve that potential. The GM basically confirmed a month-old ESPN report that the Jets are in trade discussions with other teams about Darnold. “I will answer the call if it’s made” from another team, he said. “Sam’s, we think, a dynamic player in this league with unbelievable talent who really has a chance to hit his outstanding potential. But if calls are made, I will answer ‘em.”

This all makes one option more likely: Drafting a QB in the first round.

Saleh and Douglas were speaking to media in lieu of making a normal appearance at the NFL combine, which was canceled this year because of the pandemic. As Douglas pointed out, last year there was a combine but no pro days, and the opposite is the case this year.

“It’s just good to stand next to a quarterback, to see the spin off his hand, to have the ball jump off his hand, to feel his presence. Those are all important things,” Douglas said. “There’s not gonna be as much private time with the player, there’s not gonna be dinners... there’s not gonna be classroom time.”

That means other than watching the draft class of quarterbacks throw, Douglas and Saleh will have to do the more qualitative evaluations over Zoom. With Trevor Lawrence a lock to go No. 1 overall to Jacksonville, they’ll likely be choosing between Zach Wilson of BYU, Justin Fields of Ohio State and Trey Lance of North Dakota State.

———

Contract drama with the safety who is also the best player on a bad team? Is it 2020 again? Safety Marcus Maye, the team’s clear MVP last season, is a free agent, although the Jets could franchise tag him. Maye’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, tweeted that the Jets “refuse to take care of their best player, Captain, & team-voted MVP in his prime who had several All-Pro votes...and who played out his entire rookie deal and even changed positions on his contract year (after they got rid of last yrs All-Pro safety).”

“Our plan hasn’t changed — we’re in the process of working to have Marcus be here long term,” Douglas said Wednesday. When asked about Burkhardt’s tweet specifically, the GM shrugged it off. “I was made aware of some of those comments. Look, I have a lot of respect for Erik. I think he’s a great person, I’ve had a lot of great conversations with him and you guys know how I feel about Marcus. This is part of the business, this is part of negotiating. I don’t see this affecting our ability to get something done with Marcus that’s beneficial for both him and the team.”

Maye’s situation is slightly different than that of Jamal Adams, the All-Pro safety the team got rid of, as Burkhardt referenced. Adams was agitating for a well-earned raise on his rookie contract, and the Jets found a trade partner willing to enormously overpay for him. Maye is an unrestricted free agent, although in the NFL “unrestricted” means the player can still be franchise-tagged. For Maye, that would represent a huge bump for one year. He just finished a four-year, $6.5 million deal. Over The Cap projects that the 2021 franchise tag for safeties to come in around $11 million.

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NFL Draft 2021: Jets wavering between Sam Darnold, Zack Wilson has made the No. 2 pick more valuable, insider says

Updated 9:53 AM; Today 9:44 AM 
NFL Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets

The New York Jets might be ready to move on from quarterback Sam Darnold.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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A day after Jets general manager Joe Douglas said he was listening to phone calls regarding a potential trade of quarterback Sam Darnold, one NFL insider says the Jets have suddenly made the second overall draft pick the most valuable selection in the entire draft.

 

Speaking on Thursday’s edition of the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” NFL reporter Peter Schrager said the Jets are still exploring their options regarding Darnold.

 

“Honestly, hearing Joe Douglas speak and talking to folks in the Jets organization, they have not made up their mind yet what they’re going to do, and I think what he said there was very transparent,” Schrager said. “The phone lines are open. It could have been very easy for Joe Douglas to come out and say, ‘Sam is our quarterback, and he’s our guy.’ The phone lines are open. If you want to make an offer, we will listen, and that’s just the truth.”

 
 

Schrager said that Douglas has also received calls from other teams about what the Jets will be doing with the second pick in the draft and if they would be willing to select BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, a player who is starting to rise on several draft boards.

 

“This was not even a question a couple of weeks ago because everyone thought for sure that Trevor Lawrence would go one or the Jets would either trade back or would go with a different skill position player,” Schrager said. “Now, the Zach Wilson thing is real and will add another wrinkle to it.

Schrager believes that despite the Jets beating the Los Angeles Rams last season to get the second overall pick, it has become even more valuable given the team already has Darnold and could be interested in Wilson.
 
 

“I think the number two pick is maybe even more valuable than number one pick now because you have Donald and the Zach Wilson buzz,” Schrager said. “I’m excited to see how it plays out. I don’t know what they do yet, but I don’t think they can make a wrong decision. They certainly are putting the time in to make that decision.”

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21 hours ago, Rhg1084 said:

 

Arizona Cardinals owner Mike Bidwell said on a call recently that he believes 2021 will be a "seismic shift" in NFL talent moving from team to team.  In terms of Cap space there are the Haves and the Have Nots.  Teams will be forced to make cuts they don't want to make....and teams with Cap space will benefit from that.

We could see a real transfer of talent unlike we've ever seen before.  This is a direct result of not just the Cap reduction and some poor fiscal management by some teams, but the overall complacency and expectation of an ever-rising Salary Cap for decades that teams treated as gospel.

The analogy I'd use is to the housing crash in 2008-2010.  Not many people saw it coming because "housing prices always go up."  And when bad mortgages (bad player contracts) became untenable in a world of reduced housing prices (salary caps) you saw a lot of dislocations and movement.  Many people felt pain, but many others swooped in and started buying properties (signing players) at good prices.

Will be a very interesting few weeks.

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21 hours ago, Rhg1084 said:

If Trent Brown gets released he would become my #1 free agent target. 27 years old and a stud. I’d put him on the right side. Becton and Brown the two anchors of this line would be very nice 

Sign Brown, draft Pitts at 2

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NFL Draft 2021: Jets can pick No. 1 QB on the board because Trevor Lawrence isn’t the top prospect, analyst says

Updated 1:00 PM; Today 12:54 PM 

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is expected to be the No. 1 pick overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.AP

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By Mike Rosenstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The New York Jets are on the clock.

OK, technically they won’t be until the Jacksonville Jaguarsexercise the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft next month.

But at this point, it’s a foregone conclusion that the Jaguars will select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, considered by many to be the top prospect in the draft.

However NBC Sports’ Chris Simms begs to differ. He thinks that when it’s the Jets’ turn to pick, the best quarterback on the board will still be available. Seriously. Per WIP:

“Zach Wilson is clearly the No. 1 quarterback in the draft for me. There is a separation. Zach Wilson is a really, really special football player, from every aspect and angle. The only negative that I can really come up with is I wish he was a little thicker and bigger. He’s 6-foot-3, 210 [pounds], but I don’t think that necessarily matters this day and age in the NFL. ... To me, he is the clear-cut, No. 1 quarterback in this draft. I love Trevor Lawrence, there’s a lot I like. But I think Zach Wilson and him, there’s a separation there for my money in what I see and what I’ve evaluated.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Simms compared Wilson to a pair of MVP quarterbacks who are Super Bowl champions: Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.

“It is, an unbelievably quick release. It’s the ability to throw the ball any which way he wants - sidearm ... over the top ... jumping in the air two feet off the ground ... throwing between a guard and a tackle 25 yards down the middle. The arm strength is phenomenal. ... It’s all the things he brings to the table. ... He hits all the throws you need to hit, consistently. And he throws quality missiles that spin like Mahomes and Rodgers every throw. ... Then his ability to move and make plays in the back end, and he can run, he can rip off 30-yard runs. But he’s like a Mahomes and Rodgers and Josh Allen where he doesn’t want to run. He wants to scramble around and throw a laser down the field. ... But he really just wants to carve you up with his big-time arm ... his release ... everything about it.

If Wilson is as good as Simms advertises, it may make the job of Jets general manager Joe Douglas that much easier. Douglas has to decide if he wants to stick with Sam Darnold or use the No. 2 pick overall to select a new franchise quarterback. According to Sims, Douglas can’t miss with Wilson.

Simms unveiled his ranking of the top quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast:

1. Zach Wilson, BYU

2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

3. Mac Jones, Alabama

4. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

5. Justin Fields, Ohio State

6. Trey Lance, North Dakota State

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4 hours ago, Beerfish said:

I love the way Douglas and the Jets are handling things leading up to the draft.

Also I am very happy for Jason, was always a great level headed contributor to Jets fan forums in the past and his site is essentially the go to place for all things cap related in the media these days.   Everyone quotes his site re cap dealings.

 

Agreed he was always a smart and knowledgable poster and his site is an incredible resource that has become, as you say, the go to for anything can related

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NFL rumors: Jets don’t believe in Sam Darnold and are ‘ready to move on,’ analyst says

Updated 6:19 AM; Today 6:18 AM 

The New York Jets might trade quarterback Sam Darnold.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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By Mike Rosenstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The quarterback carousel is spinning out of control on the New York Jets.

At this point, general manager Joe Douglas is looking at three options for his No. 1 signal-caller next season: Sam Darnold,Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson, or a 2021 first-round draft pick, most likely BYU’s Zach Wilson.

All three options are somehow tied to the Jets’ No. 2 pick overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

FOX Sports’ Shannon Sharpe connects the dots on “Undisputed” with Skip Bayless.

“I like Sam Darnold. I think with the pieces around him, he could be really good. But it seems to me Skip they kind of made their mind up. They’re gonna go Zach Wilson with that second pick in the draft. Now mind you, they already have their first-round pick. They got Seattle’s pick this year and next year. They’re probably trying to move Sam Darnold and get another No. 1 pick or second-round pick. So they’re trying to stockpile because with all things being said, they get another pick, they can parlay that. ‘OK, we’ve got the ammo to go get Deshaun Watson. We’ve got our pick, we’ve got Seattle’s pick and we’ve got Seattle’s pick next year. So we’ve got the pieces to come get a Deshaun Watson, Houston, if you’re listening.’

“But Skip, it tells me everything I need to know, that they don’t believe in Sam Darnold. They seem to be ready to move on. If the Houston Texans aren’t going to entertain their offer to give up the three first-round picks, they’re probably going to go Zach Wilson. But I believe they’re trying to load up. I believe they’re going to go try to get Deshaun Watson.”

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22 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

Arizona Cardinals owner Mike Bidwell said on a call recently that he believes 2021 will be a "seismic shift" in NFL talent moving from team to team.  In terms of Cap space there are the Haves and the Have Nots.  Teams will be forced to make cuts they don't want to make....and teams with Cap space will benefit from that.

We could see a real transfer of talent unlike we've ever seen before.  This is a direct result of not just the Cap reduction and some poor fiscal management by some teams, but the overall complacency and expectation of an ever-rising Salary Cap for decades that teams treated as gospel.

The analogy I'd use is to the housing crash in 2008-2010.  Not many people saw it coming because "housing prices always go up."  And when bad mortgages (bad player contracts) became untenable in a world of reduced housing prices (salary caps) you saw a lot of dislocations and movement.  Many people felt pain, but many others swooped in and started buying properties (signing players) at good prices.

Will be a very interesting few weeks.

The pandemic wreaked havoc on this and so many other industries and its effects will be felt far beyond its expiration.

It is not lost on many that what we may be looking at now is a turn in the history of the NY Jets franchise's history of failure, and all it took to get there was a near total collapse of human civilization.

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NFL rumors: After Jets cut Henry Anderson, who could be next to leave if Joe Douglas wants more salary cap space for free agency?

Updated 6:45 AM; Today 6:45 AM 

Joe Douglas is getting ready for free agency. AP

 

By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Jets currently have about $75.3 million in salary cap space for free agency, which begins March 15.

That’s a result of defensive end Henry Anderson being released this week. The expected move created $8.2 million in cap space.

Only the Jaguars have more cap space ($82 million), based on overthecap.com’s estimate. The Patriots ($62.2 million) are third. So the Jets are in great position.

But general manager Joe Douglas might not be done, in terms of roster cuts (or one big trade). So who could be next? And how much more cap space can Douglas create?

Let’s take a look, now that the no-brainer release of Anderson is complete.

(It was Douglas’ only no-brainer release decision this offseason, by the way. These other moves aren’t locks.)

WR Jamison Crowder: A tricky one here, since Crowder was the Jets’ best receiver last season. He’s not a No. 1 receiver, though. Douglas has to bring in a high-profile receiver this offseason, either in free agency or the draft. Yes, he just drafted Denzel Mims in Round 2 last year. But Crowder (if he stays) and Mims aren’t enough. The issue with Crowder is that his 2021 cap number ($11.375 million) is simply too high. Then again, it’s not like the Jets have a surplus of receivers. So they could use Crowder’s services, even with a bloated cap number.

Cap implications: $10.375 million savings, $1 million dead money

QB Sam Darnold (trade): This all depends on what Douglas and new coach Robert Saleh want to do at the sport’s most important position. A huge decision. Cutting Darnold wouldn’t make sense. But a trade might. Unless Douglas and Saleh think he can be salvaged by new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

Cap implications: $4.77 million savings, $5.01 million dead money

RG Greg Van Roten: Douglas signed him last offseason, but Van Roten failed to deliver — 40th in Pro Football Focus’ offensive guard ratings. The Jets need quality depth on their line (and also better starters), so Van Roten could stick around, since he doesn’t have a huge cap hit ($3.65 million). He’d be fine as a backup.

Cap implications: $3.4 million savings, $250,000 dead money

LG Alex Lewis: The Jets clearly need to upgrade at guard. Lewis had a 66.6 PFF grade last season (out of 100) — slightly better than Van Roten’s 62.7. Is Lewis worth retaining with a $7 million cap hit in 2021? Maybe not.

Cap implications: $5.36 million savings, $1.66 million dead money

RT George Fant: How much does Douglas want to carve up his offensive line, after taking a first shot at repairing it last offseason, when he signed Fant and Van Roten? Douglas would also need to determine who might replace Fant (61.6 PFF grade last season) at right tackle, opposite promising second-year left tackle Mekhi Becton (74.4 PFF grade last season). Fant’s cap number for 2021 ($9.85 million) isn’t insanely high. But neither is his dead money hit.

Cap implications: $7.85 million savings, $2 million dead money

TE Ryan Griffin: Neither Griffin nor Chris Herndon appears to be a long-term answer at tight end. Herndon had a 57.9 PFF grade in 2020. Griffin’s grade was 56.1. Not great.

Cap implications: $1.87 million savings, $1.45 million dead money

TE Chris Herndon: The Jets have tried to make it work with Herndon, a fourth-round draft pick in 2018. But it hasn’t worked. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract. After 502 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, he has just 294 yards and three touchdowns in the past two seasons combined. Still, Griffin seems likelier to get cut this offseason, since he has a bigger 2021 cap hit — $3.3 million, compared to Herndon’s $2.3 million. Plus, Griffin is 31 — seven years older than Herndon.

Cap implications: $2.18 million savings, $167,000 dead money

 

FINAL ANALYSIS ...

Griffin and Lewis seem likelier to get cut than Van Roten, Crowder, Fant, and Herndon.

Cutting those two would mean $7.23 million in additional cap space, bringing the Jets’ total to $82.59 million.

Throw in the Darnold trade, and that number goes up to $87.36 million.

Crowder’s release would free up a huge chunk of cap space, and perhaps push Douglas close to $100 million, depending on what else he does with these other moves. Fant, at $7.85 million, is another a big-number release possibility, in terms of cap space created.

Van Roten and Herndon have manageable cap hits for 2021, so they’re probably worth retaining, even though neither is a star.

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Jets eager for C.J. Mosley’s return in 2021 after COVID-19 opt-out

Updated Mar 04, 11:03 AM; Posted Mar 04, 11:03 AM 

New York Jets inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) celebrates with teammates after returning an interception for a touchdown during an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 8, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)AP

 

By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

The New York Jets are anticipating the return of linebacker C.J. Mosley in the 2021 season after the former Alabama All-American missed the 2020 campaign as a COVID-19 opt-out.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Jets coach Robert Saleh said Mosley had visited him at the team’s headquarters. New York hired Saleh as their head coach in January after going 2-14 this season with Adam Gase in charge.

“He came by, said hello,” Saleh said. “It was awesome to get to meet him. Not going to get into details of our conversation, but to be honest, my expectation is no different than any other player that’s here, and that’s for C.J. to continue to be the pro that he’s been since the day that he was drafted and the leader that he’s been and find ways to get better every single day. And C.J. definitely has that mindset, and just a pleasure to have gotten a chance to meet him.”

Without Mosley, the Jets ranked 24th in total yards allowed, 28th in passing yards allowed and 12th in rushing yards allowed among the NFL’s 32 teams during the 2020 season.

New York hired Saleh after he’d worked four seasons as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator. In 2020, the 49ers ranked fifth in total yards allowed, fourth in passing yards allowed and seventh in rushing yards allowed.

Under Saleh, San Francisco middle linebacker Fred Warner became a first-team All-Pro selection in the 2020 season.

After earning Pro Bowl invitations in four of his five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Mosley signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets in March 2019. But in his first season with New York, he played in only two games because of injuries.

ALABAMA ROOTS: THE 25 HIGHEST-PAID PLAYERS IN NFL HISTORY

The NFL’s plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic included an option for players to choose not to play in 2020 and delay their contracts for one season.

Players deemed as high risk from a medical standpoint could opt out and receive a $350,000 stipend as well as an accrued NFL season. Those players would have had one of the 15 pre-existing conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, listed in pandemic plan.

Players not deemed as high risk could opt out, too, but they received a $150,000 advance on their 2021 salary (as long as they had an accredited season in 2019).

Mosley was not in the high-risk category, and he said he chose to opt out for family considerations.

Mosley was a two-time All-State linebacker for Theodore High School. In 2009, he earned the Class 6A Lineman of the Year Award and recognition as a Parade All-American.

At Alabama, Mosley was a consensus All-American in 2012 and a unanimous All-American in 2013, when he earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker. Mosley played for two national championship teams with the Crimson Tide.

Mosley entered the NFL as the 17th player picked in the 2014 NFL Draft.

In 79 regular-season games, Mosley has recorded 588 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), 37 passes defended, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries (including one returned for a touchdown).

Since the NFL began tracking tackles in 1987, Mosley, Luke Kuechly and Lavonte David are the only players with at least 588 tackles, 10 interceptions and 8.5 sacks in their first 79 games in the league.

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22 hours ago, joewilly12 said:

The New York Jets are anticipating the return of linebacker C.J. Mosley in the 2021 season after the former Alabama All-American missed the 2020 campaign as a COVID-19 opt-out. TIA

So does his opting out extend his contract by 1 year or is it counted as unpaid year of service?

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24 minutes ago, 32EBoozer said:

So does his opting out extend his contract by 1 year or is it counted as unpaid year of 

The salary he was due to earn last year becomes this year's salary, and his contract now ends one year later than it would have if he hadn't opted out.

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8 minutes ago, mrcoops said:

The salary he was due to earn last year becomes this year's salary, and his contract now ends one year later than it would have if he hadn't opted out.

another bad contract by MM
AGE 29
Free Agency: 2025 (UFA)
Accrued Seasons: 7
  • Height: 6-2
  • Weight: 234
  • College: Alabama
  • Entry: 2014 Draft, Round 1, #17 overall (Ravens)
  • 2021 Salary Cap Charge: $7,500,000 (3.60% of cap)
  • 2021 Cash Payout: $5,850,000 (6.04% of spending)
  • 2021 Cash to Cap Ratio: 0.78
  • Contract Value: $85,000,000 ($17,000,000 APY)
  • Fully Guaranteed Money: $43,000,000
  • Contract Ranking: 2/238 at LB
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1 hour ago, KRL said:

No free agent RB's!!!  Use Drake's $$$ for something else (LB, WR) and that list isn't bad

I would make the exception for Juszczyk. Jason at OTC has him valued at $5m+/APY.  So 4/$30m with $15 guaranteed? He’ll outplay that contract.

FB has very important role in the system 

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14 hours ago, K_O_Brien said:

 

 

Consistently competitive franchise decides that AVG wide receiver isn't worth the contract he is crying for ... lets him walk ... never fear ... there is a sucker green franchise in the waiting.

Edited by Dunnie
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