Jets Rumors: Trumaine Johnson $72.5M Contract Causing 'Massive Buyer's Remorse'

As NFL free agency approaches for the 2019 offseason, the New York Jets are reportedly still regretting a free-agent splash they made last season.

A Gang Green fan asked Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News for his "Jets Mailbag" whether fans should worry about the team overpaying for an average player. In his reply, Mehta used cornerback Trumaine Johnson as the cautionary tale:

"Absolutely. Look no further than free agency last year when they backed up the Brink's truck for cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The Jets have massive buyer's remorse about Johnson's five-year, $72.5 million deal, according to sources. (For practical purposes, it's a three-year, $48 million deal).

"Now, the folks on One Jets Drive are keeping their fingers crossed that new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can bring out the best in his former Rams pupil."

In his first season as a Jet, Johnson appeared in only 10 games. The 29-year-old experienced a lingering quad injury that kept him out from Oct. 4 to Nov. 11. 

However, Johnson's absence from the Jets' 2018 regular-season finale was more problematic. The cornerback was benched for what was formally called a "coach's decision," but ESPN's Josina Anderson reported the benching stemmed from Johnson missing meetings and practice.

When Johnson was on the field, his play was less than stellar—finishing the season with 40 tackles (35 solo), five passes defended, four interceptions and one forced fumble.

On top of his statistics not necessarily validating five years and $72.5 million, Johnson was responsible for several costly penalties on the Jets' road to 4-12. One particularly frustrating penalty came against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 when Johnson was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on what would have been a stop on 3rd-and-10.

The criticism of Johnson has renewed now that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

The Jets have been dangled as a possible landing spot for Bell, but Mehta cautions fans in getting their hopes up after Johnson's first-year flop. Mehta elaborated: "The Jets believe that Bell is a quality player, but there are reservations inside the building about his motivation after he lands a big payday."

It doesn't feel like a stretch to link those reservations at least partially to Johnson.