Jets' Team Needs to Fill in 2024 NFL Free Agency
The New York Jets need to be aggressive in free agency.
The 2024 campaign is pivotal for head coach Robert Saleh to keep his job and for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to prove he can still compete at an elite level.
The Jets must add offensive reinforcements to not just help Rodgers in the passing game, but to protect the veteran quarterback coming off his Achilles injury.
An argument can be made that the Jets are under the most pressure to sign a backup quarterback as well.
Last season's quarterback fiasco left zero trust in current backup Zach Wilson, and if an improvement is not made there, the Jets will enter 2024 one injury away from disaster once again.
No. 2 Wide Receiver
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The good news for the Jets is they are not completely hopeless with the offensive roster they have.
Garrett Wilson proved himself as the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver and Breece Hall has the potential to be one of the top running backs in the NFL.
The questions start to seep it when the depth conversation begins.
Allen Lazard was the Jets' second-best pass-catching wide receiver in 2023 and he managed to record 311 receiving yards.
Xavier Gipson and Jason Brownlee showed some promise at points of last season, but both players are best used as No. 3 wide receivers and on special teams.
The Jets need to seriously look into the second tier of free agent wide outs, led by Gabriel Davis, Tyler Boyd and Curtis Samuel, for help.
The Jets could even make the bold move of signing Odell Beckham Jr. as a No. 2 target. Beckham quietly had 535 receiving yards last season for the Baltimore Ravens.
Offensive Line
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The Jets need Rodgers to remain upright in the pocket to win in 2024.
It sounds like a simple task, but that was a difficult challenge for the Jets offensive line in 2023.
New York quarterbacks were sacked 64 times on 601 pass attempts. That total is nowhere close to good enough to protect an older quarterback coming off a serious injury.
The Jets may have to prioritize the offensive line with their projected $20 million in salary cap space, per Spotrac, because they need a veteran to step in and protect Rodgers.
They could fill their wide receiver need with a cheaper free agent, or with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, if they are committed to protecting Rodgers first.
The problem for the Jets is few elite offensive tackles are free agents this offseason, so they may have to overpay Tyron Smith or another top-tier free agent to bring them to New York.
Backup Quarterback
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The Jets have arguably the most important backup quarterback decision to make in the NFL.
There is a worst-case scenario in which Rodgers re-injures himself, or the Achilles injury affects his build back to 100 percent in 2024.
The Jets can't go through another season with poor backup play because that would cost Saleh his job and force the franchise into another hard reset.
New York could be in contact with Ryan Tannehill, Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Jameis Winston at the start of free agency.
All four players will be coveted on the backup market, and it may take some convincing to get Minshew and Winston to not re-sign with their 2023 teams. Minshew can be a valuable asset to Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis and Winston fit in well as New Orleans' backup.
Tannehill and Brissett are more likely to change teams because their 2023 squads went through coaching changes. Tennessee could look to completely move on from Tannehill and Sam Howell could be Washington's backup if it selects a quarterback at No. 2.
Howell could even be an option for the Jets in the trade market if the Commanders are willing to move on from the North Carolina product.
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