2015 New York Jets Free Agency: An Early Guide to the Market
Now that the New York Jets have announced a major housecleaning by parting ways with general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan, they can begin to assess what direction they want the team to go in moving forward.
Without a head coach or general manager in place, it is impossible to pinpoint exactly which types of players the Jets will target in free agency and the draft. We can, however, identify which types of players the Jets could have used this past season to win more than four games.
These free-agency lists are based on the team's current needs, factoring in players who could leave in free agency. Given their exorbitant amount of cap space, the Jets will be able to pick from the cream of the crop at nearly every position.
Here is an early guide to the free-agent market for the Jets.
Cornerback
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Even if Dee Milliner is healthy, the Jets will be in the market for at least one starting outside cornerback who can compete with Marcus Williams for the starting job.
Antonio Cromartie
Could a reunion between Cromartie and the Jets happen? It may not be as crazy as it sounds. His best years are behind him at age 30, but he proved the Jets wrong from a health standpoint by starting in all 16 games for the Arizona Cardinals this season. He even looked pretty good doing it. He allowed just two touchdown passes all year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The rebuilding Jets may not be the ideal landing place for a veteran like Cromartie, but if the price is right, he can at least stop the bleeding at a position that needs immediate help.
Tramon Williams
One of the top cornerbacks on the market in a thin class, Tramon Williams is not going to be cheap—but if any team is in desperate need for a starting outside cornerback with the cash on hand to afford him, it is the Jets.
Byron Maxwell
Byron Maxwell may be the least-known member of the Legion of Boom, but the Seattle Seahawk offers a lot in terms of sheer size (6'1", 207 lbs) and length. His status as a No. 2 cornerback limits his price, making him a nice fallback option in case the Jets miss out on a player like Williams.
Kareem Jackson
The former first-round pick out of Alabama had a rough first few seasons as a pro, but Kareem Jackson has finally settled into his role as a starting cornerback for the Houston Texans as of late. The 10th-ranked cornerback on Pro Football Focus is having his best season just in time for a new contract—enough so to make a buyer beware of investing heavily in a player who only appears to play well when a contract is on the line.
Quarterback
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Geno Smith may have finished the season with a perfect quarterback rating in Week 17, but there is no way the Jets can hand him the keys to the franchise without giving him some real competition in the process.
Brian Hoyer
Having been benched for Johnny Manziel at one point in the season, Hoyer has all but ruled himself out as a possible long-term solution for any prospective team. However, he can be valuable for a team that needs some competition for its incumbent starter, just as the Jets do with Smith.
If a player of Hoyer's caliber can beat out or even challenge Smith for the starting job, the Jets will know everything they need to know about Smith.
Jake Locker
Jake Locker was unable to convince the Tennessee Titans that he can be a long-term starter, but as a former top-10 selection, he offers a lot more upside than someone like Hoyer.
He does have accuracy problems that do not appear to be going away anytime soon (57.5 completion percentage), but few can match his blend of arm strength and mobility.
Following a few respectable outings for the Washington Redskins late in the season, Colt McCoy falls into the same "stopgap starter" category as Hoyer does. He is limited by his arm strength but can thrive in a timing/rhythm offense that relies more on cerebral ability than arm talent.
Wide Receiver
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A new general manager may not be interested in retaining an injury-prone Percy Harvin, who is set to make $10.5 million next season, even at a reduced rate. If Harvin is released, the Jets will find themselves with a massive hole at the starting spot opposite Eric Decker.
The Denver Broncos will clearly make locking up their top offensive treat a top priority, but the Jets have enough cash on hand to enter the fray if they deem Demaryius Thomas worthy of a monstrous contract.
A former teammate of Eric Decker, Thomas is the prototypical No. 1 receiver, boasting the size (6'3", 229 lbs) and speed combination that teams covet.
Coming off his worst season as a professional, Torrey Smith's value is at an all-time low after a pedestrian 767-yard effect, even if he did save the Ravens' season with a spectacular touchdown catch on Sunday.
Smith may not be a good fit in Gary Kubiak's offense, but he can still stretch the field with his world-class speed. If the Jets decide to move on from Harvin, they will be left with a need for speed at the receiver position.
Cobb may not be quite as dynamic of a player as Harvin and still has to prove he can produce in an environment without Aaron Rodgers, but this speedster out of Kentucky can be a cheaper alternative to Harvin without as much injury and character risk.
Cobb, however, does come with some injury risk of his own—he missed 10 games last season with a leg injury.
The Jets had interest in Jeremy Maclin when he was fresh off an ACL injury a year ago, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (h/t NFL.com). Now that he has proved himself to be fully recovered from the injury after a 1,318-yard season, he remains as good of a fit for the Jets offense as ever.
After proving himself on a one-year "prove it" deal, Maclin will be aiming for—and deserves—a top-of-the-market deal. His deep-ball ability will make him expensive, but the otherwise slow Jets would welcome him into their passing game.
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Guard
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With Willie Colon set to enter free agency and Oday Aboushi barely treading water at right guard, the Jets could be in the market for two new starters at the guard position by next season.
Mike Iupati
The former first-round pick has developed a reputation as one of the top run-blockers in the game, and for good reason: Iupati grades as the second-best run-blocker at his position at Pro Football Focus.
However, he has had considerable struggles in pass protection, ranking 57th in this area. Iupati's reputation alone will make him much more than he is truly worth, but the Jets have enough cap space to go after Iupati if they want to.
Rob Sims
If the Jets are in the market for a low-price, middle-of-the-road stopgap free agent, they should look no further than Rob Sims. The 42nd-ranked guard by Pro Football Focus, Sims is average across the board, having yielded five sacks on the season. A player of his caliber would make sense to bring in just in case Dakota Dozier is not ready to start.
James Carpenter
The former first-round Alabama product struggled at first when asked to play tackle but began to thrive once he was kicked inside and not required to move around nearly as much. Carpenter allowed zero sacks all season—a feat only matched by 10 other starting guards in the league.
Orlando Franklin
Franklin is every bit the player Mike Iupati is, without the bloated reputation as a monster run-blocker. He is not quite as much of a bully in the run game as Iupati, but he is a much more balanced player, ranking ninth in pass blocking and 14th in run blocking at Pro Football Focus.
Franklin will command top dollar on the open market, but he will give the Jets line a huge boost in both areas of the game.
Outside Linebacker
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Calvin Pace and Quinton Coples head a serviceable group of linebackers, but the 34-year-old Pace will have no more ties to a new coaching staff; some young blood is needed at this position.
Jason Worilds
Based on how quickly Jason Worilds signed his tender last offseason, he does not appear interested in playing anywhere outside of Pittsburgh, but the Jets have enough cash on hand to force a move.
The Virginia Tech product is essentially a younger version of Pace—a do-it-all linebacker who is good for around six to eight sacks per season (7.5 in 2014), capable of paying the run and dropping into coverage.
Brandon Graham
Brandon Graham's 5.5 sack total may not jump off the page, but his production this season goes beyond a single stat category. According to Pro Football Focus, he was one of the best pass-rushers of 2014, racking up 38 quarterback hurries and eight hits.
Graham has curiously saved his best season for the last on his contract, which is enough to make prospective teams nervous about his production after handing him a lot of money up front.
Brian Orakpo
Orakpo's season was cut short after suffering a torn pectoral in October, as he ended up with just 0.5 sacks on the season. Coming off an injury is not an ideal situation for any player to be in during a contract year, but his past production speaks for itself—he is just two years removed from a 10-sack season.
What makes Orakpo even more appealing as a potential free agent is his flexibility. A former defensive end at Texas, he has played outside linebacker in a 3-4 and a 4-3, which allows him to fit in just about any defense.
Inside Linebacker
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This position rests solely on how the new regime decides to handle David Harris' pending entrance into free agency. Harris could be retained, but the Jets have few options behind him if he does hit the open market.
David Harris
A rebuilding team like the Jets would not typically be in the market for a 31-year-old inside linebacker, but they should make an exception to conventional wisdom and strongly consider bringing back Harris simply because few other comparable options are left.
With only one established starter at the position (Demario Davis), the Jets have little young talent at linebacker behind the starters. They used a fifth-round pick on Jeremiah George in the 2014 draft, but he was unable to crack the 53-man roster and was ultimately claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the right price, Harris could at least hold over the position until a younger solution is found.
Brandon Spikes
The Jets are familiar with Brandon Spikes from their meetings with him throughout the AFC East. Drafted by the New England Patriots and signed to a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills last offseason, Spikes is a run-stuffing specialist who can fill Harris' old role at a younger age.
Rolando McClain
There may be a 30 for 30 series made on Rolando McClain's bizarre football career, but he appears to have finally put it all together for the Dallas Cowboys, saving their season by filling in for Sean Lee as well as anyone could have reasonably expected.
The eighth overall linebacker on Pro Football Focus, McClain's stock has not been this high since he was a top prospect coming out of Alabama. McClain, who is currently making just above the league minimum ($700,000 according to Spotrac), won't be cheap.
Safety
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Even if Calvin Pryor can shake off his up-and-down rookie season and become a dependable starter, the Jets still need to find a replacement for Antonio Allen and Dawan Landry. Allen has undergone a stunning regression in his third season, while the veteran Landry is set to hit the open market.
Antrel Rolle
With Calvin Pryor assuming more of an in-the-box role, the Jets are better off using their resources on a player with the skill set of a classic free safety. Antrel Rolle may no longer be the budding talent he once was at age 32, but he has a nice blend of deep and man-to-man coverage skills as a former cornerback from his days with the Arizona Cardinals.
Devin McCourty
Once a disappointing first-round cornerback, McCourty has thrived since making the transition to free safety for the Patriots.
McCourty's age (27) and upside make him a much more expensive option than Rolle, but whoever pays the premium for his services will get the best years out of his career.
Nate Allen
If the Jets find themselves in the market for a younger version of Landry, they look no further than Nate Allen of the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a better run defender than cover man, but he is a dependable veteran who makes up for his lack of splash plays with consistency.
Slot Cornerbacks
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If his eventual departure in free agency was not obvious enough, slot cornerback Kyle Wilson played a grand total of zero snaps in the season finale. The Jets need immediate, veteran help at this position.
K'Waun Williams
First-round picks Joe Hayden and Justin Gilbert get all of the fame in the Cleveland Browns secondary, but slot cornerback K'Waun Williams is coming off a quality season in his own right as he prepares for free agency.
The 13th-best cornerback according to Pro Football Focus, Williams could step in immediately at the slot position and be a massive upgrade over Wilson.
Alan Ball
The former seventh-round pick from 2007 is hardly a household name, but he is a steady enough player to at least solidify the slot position until the Jets find a younger, long-term solution. Ball is coming off a season-ending bicep injury from back in Week 7, but he allowed just a 64.5 quarterback rating when thrown at last season for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Advanced statistics provided by ProFootballFocus.com (subscription required).
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