NY Jets

Report: New York Jets sign guard Greg Van Roten

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New York Jets, Greg Van Roten

The New York Jets have added another offensive lineman. Greg Van Roten was one of the top offensive lineman available, and the long islander is now a Jet.

What Does Van Roten Bring?

Greg Van Roten is a 30-year-old guard who will now likely become the Jets’ newest starter. He can also swing out and play tackle if need be, which provides more flexibility on the line. Van Roten will be receiving a three year deal with money not yet known.

Van Roten is a superb run blocker and pass protector. He’s only allowed three sacks and 5 QB hits in the past two years. He’s also been flagged once in 5 years. Van Roten has taken over as a starter in Carolina and not looked back. Van Roten immediately establishes the interior with Alex Lewis and Connor McGovern and makes it a much-improved one.

The Jets would still have room to grab an interior lineman on day 2 or 3, but it is no longer a necessity. Presumably, the Jets will aim to grab a rookie to compete with Lewis at the guard spot, along with the tackle they’ll likely grab at 11.

The Jets offensive line has been massively upgraded by Douglas in free agency, and adding a long time Jet fan and solid offensive lineman in Van Roten has furthered that.

What’s Next?

Now with all the offensive line additions, this makes longtime Jet Brian Winters expendable. Winters will likely be cut now and could find a market elsewhere.

The Jets now legitimately turn their attention to other areas. They could add a tackle, but they may focus on that more in the draft with pick 11. As for now, the Jets will likely continue to wait out the decision from Robby Anderson. If he doesn’t return, expect the Jets to move quickly to fill the speed receiver slot he will leave.

The Jets will also have to aim towards adding another outside corner. Prince Amukamara has been linked to the Jets a lot and could be a good fit to pair with a pick, Bless Austin and Brian Poole. The Jets also need to target an edge rusher or two. Lastly, the Jets should target a backup QB to upgrade over Siemian in case Darnold gets hurt or mono again. Douglas achieved his first goal and did a damn good job of it with the offensive line. 

New York Jets sign versatile offensive lineman Josh Andrews

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New York Jets, Josh Andrews

The New York Jets have signed versatile offensive lineman Josh Andrews. Andrews was an undrafted free agent from Oregon State in 2014. He received interest from 3 teams and ultimately chose to join the Eagles. That Eagles team led him to Joe Douglas.

According to Andrews agent, he’s excited to reunite with Douglas in NY.

Who Is Josh Andrews?

Andrews played in Philly for four years and in Minnesota before he landed in Indy with the Colts. Andrews has never been a starter, but he’s had experience and never allowed a sack or been flagged. Joe Douglas wants versatile guys who can bring in competition for the line. The Douglas mentality is evident with this signing. Andrews will be a guy who will fight for a roster spot and fight to carve out a role. With so much turnover on the line, he’ll have a shot to earn starting reps potentially. More than likely, he will provide depth. He’s got a very high football IQ along with being a great athlete. Jim Schwartz said he would play on their scout team and go out of his way to diagnose weak spots on the defense and how they could make Fletcher Cox and other defensive linemen more productive. That level of IQ is something that can provide value to both the offense and the defense. Andrews is a solid depth addition.

What’s Next For The Jets?

The Jets continue to wait on Robby Anderson’s decision before allocating money elsewhere. The WR market hinges on the money Anderson locks up. The Jets plan A is to hope that Anderson re-signs on a solid deal that is fair for the team and Anderson, and then allocate money to more depth on the offensive line and the defense. The Jets issue is that signing Anderson will be to a deal within the range of $8.5 million to $12 million. That’s a lot of money to add to the payroll, which explains their reluctance to make deals before knowing his destination. Their plan B, if they don’t lock him down, will likely be Phillip Dorsett and aiming to add one or more playmakers in the draft and then allocating the money towards defense. Until he makes a decision, it is unclear exactly how much money the Jets will have to spend on other spots. Until then, expect more depth signings.

New York Jets Resign CB Brian Poole (Report)

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New York Jets, Brian Poole

The New York Jets secondary was very weak last year. They didn’t have a true number one or two corner. They continuously rotated guys in the spots to see who, if any, could cover on the outside. At nickel corner, however, the Jets were set. Brian Poole had a career year for the Jets and according to PFF, was ranked as one of the top 10 best corners in the league. This made him a priority on the Jets list this offseason. Now, the Jets locked Poole up, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

The Contract

Locking Poole up may be an understatement– the Jets inked Poole to a one year, $5 million dollar deal. The deal is actually a win-win for both sides. The Jets get stability at the slot corner position for another year on a very good value deal. Poole gets $5 million and another shot to cash in next offseason. The Jets likely used the fact that last year was his best year as a negotiating tactic for the 27-year-old corner. The Jets will now get him back on a team-friendly deal and Poole gets to prove his worth yet again.

What do the Jets do next?

The Jets made Poole a priority and got him back. Now the Jets can turn their attention to adding an outside corner to pair with Bless Austin. The Jets will likely sign one bigger name corner and maybe add a few lower-level guys with good potential. The Jets can now turn their focus to the edge rusher spot and outside corner spots as previously noted, as they await Robby Anderson’s decision. If Anderson doesn’t resign then expect the Jets to move quickly to ink another receiver like Phillip Dorsett and turn their attention towards the other side of the ball.

OT George Fant signs with the New York Jets

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New York Jets, George Fant

The New York Jets have made a move. They have signed offensive tackle George Fant. Fant has signed to a 3 year 30 million dollar deal with 13.7 million guaranteed.  Fant was a Seahawk since joining the team as a UDFA in 2016. Fant was a basketball player converted to a Tight End and then a tight end converted to an offensive tackle. Fant is athletic and a very good blocker. So what does Fant add to the team and where does he fit in the line?

Is Fant A Good Offensive Tackle?

George Fant is very talented. The jury is still out on how good Fant really is. Despite battling injuries, when Fant has played he has consistently shown signs of development. Fant was good rotating across the line and filling in for various players. Questions surround his durability as he has very few starts. However, when he has played he has been a great pass blocker. He has played 266 pass-blocking snaps and only allowed 2 sacks and 2 QB hits. If Fant can stay on the field he will be a good offensive tackle for the New York Jets. If he doesn’t work out, the Jets structured the deal to get out of it with a minimal cap hit next season.

How Does Fant Fit With The Team

Fant will immediately become a starter on the offensive line. He will likely be the left tackle until the presumed draft pick is prepared. When the pick is ready, he will likely move over to the right side. This move gives the Jets an option and as I’ve been saying for a while, the Jets needed a valuable offensive tackle. Fant will improve the tackle spot if healthy and allow the Jets to move to the interior offensive line and other spots. Fant is a potential value signing but if he can’t stay healthy then this move will have been a waste.

New York Jets Sign Connor McGovern (Report)

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New York Jets, Connor Mcgovern

Connor McGovern was ranked as one of the top free-agent offensive linemen on the market, and now he’s on the New York Jets. Despite missing out on Graham Glasgow, the Jets remained steadfast in their mission for a new center. The Jets were rumored to have interest in Steven Wisniewski, a long time Eagle with connections to Joe Douglas. However, they went after McGovern and signed him to anchor the center spot for the future.

The Contract

McGovern signed a three year 27 million dollar deal to join the Jets with 16 million guaranteed. He will get A LOT more guaranteed money than Fant and much more job security within the parameters. McGovern got a very similar deal to that of Matt Paradis, a guy, the Jets, struck out on a year ago.

His Role

McGovern, as previously mentioned, becomes the anchor of the center spot. He also becomes the best center this team has had since Nick Mangold. He is 26 years old (turns 27 in April) and will be a Jet for the foreseeable future. Boy, is he talented. McGovern played 1,019 snaps last year and was flagged zero times and only gave up a single sack. The guy is a beast. PFF graded him as one of the better young centers in all of football. Production-wise he is efficient, and he becomes a great young piece.

What’s Next For The Line

The Jets woke up and added McGovern and resigned Alex Lewis. The interior of the line could be entirely sured up with the addition of G Greg Van Roten from Carolina. He’d give them a very good interior line and allow the Jets to focus on the tackle spot and other areas in the draft.

Recapping the New York Jets’ first day of free agency

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New York Jets, Adam Gase

The New York Jets have expressed a lot of interest but done very little, so here’s a breakdown of all that’s gone down in regards to the Jets today for both sides of the ball. As for tomorrow, Gang Green needs to wake up.

Offensive Line Rumors

The Jets were in on three key offensive linemen — Graham Glasgow, Joe Thuney, and Jack Conklin. All three are not going to be joining the Green and White. Despite prioritizing building through the trenches, the Jets added one offensive lineman today, and it was a guy they could’ve waited to scoop up in George Fant. The Jets need to add interior offensive linemen and are reportedly targeting C/G Steven Wisniewski & G Greg Van Roten. Van Roten is a longtime Jets fan and great pass protector, Wisniewski is a veteran with Douglas connections.

Wide Receiver Rumors

The Jets are devoted to helping Sam, but at what cost? The Jets missed out on adding either Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins. All three would’ve been legit number one receivers. Now the Jets head towards day two of free agency looking to add playmakers. Phillip Dorsett is reportedly a big target. Dorsett is the only guy the Jets have publicly been linked to, but expect more to emerge tomorrow and keep an eye on Emmanuel Sanders.

Edge Rusher Rumors

The Jets have been very active in expressing interest here. The Jets have shown interest in Dante Fowler Jr as expected. However, the Jets have also shown SERIOUS interest in Jadeveon Clowney. If the money is there and feasible, the Jets should go after him. He would be a monster for Gregg Williams to have fun with on defense. Fowler and Clowney would immediately add more star power on defense. The Jets also seem inclined to let Jordan Jenkins walk per Connor Hughes of The Athletic.

As for lesser names, the Jets had shown interest in Kyle Van Noy before the Dolphins added him. Expect them to target Markus Golden as well.

Cornerback Rumors

The Jets were in on both James Bradberry and Byron Jones, but it seemed more than likely they would target lesser corners. Desmond Trufant was released by Atlanta today and has already been linked to the Jets. As has Chris Harris Jr. and Prince Amukamara. Brian Poole is a guy the Jets would like to bring back, but cost is debatable. Corner is a priority for the Jets, and their goal is to find value guys.

What the New York Jets need to do to piece together an elite defense

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New York Jets, Jamal Adams

The New York Jets’ defense ranked among the top half of the league and was ranked as one of the top rushing defenses in all of football last season. The defense was good but not great. With the defensive line figured out and filled with depth, C.J. Mosley returning, Avery Williamson potentially returning if he is not cut, the defense can be great. They just need to fill 2 vital holes.

Cornerback

Main Options

The Jets ideal route for filling the holes at corner would be to resign Brian Poole so the slot role is filled and then go about grabbing a lead corner in free agency. The biggest issue for the Jets is avoiding tying themselves to a contract resembling the headache they just freed themselves of in Trumaine Johnson.

The free agency class is top-heavy at corner but there is depth within the lower levels. James Bradberry and Byron Jones are reportedly being targeted by the Jets. Both guys would immediately become the Jets lead corner and fill a huge hole.

Bradberry is very underrated and has been Carolina’s top corner for the past few years. The Jets reportedly believe he is the better of the two and are willing to splurge on him. I believe Bradberry would be great but he wants to be a part of resetting the cornerback market and his contract may be too pricey.

Other Options

If the Jets miss out on the top two guys, Ronald Darby, Prince Amukamara, Jalen Mills, Chris Harris Jr., and Trae Waynes are among the guys the Jets could target. Even if the Jets get one of these guys to be their lead corner, the Jets need to grab a corner in the draft as well. By doing that the Jets would have two veteran CBs and two younger options, a draft pick and Bless Austin. This would drastically change the Jets secondary and potentially make it elite depending on the additions.

Pass Rush

John Abraham was the last elite pass rusher the Jets had. Mo Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson were both great defensive linemen but not capable of being pass rushers. The Jets drafted Jordan Jenkins a few years ago and he’s developed into a consistently good pass rusher, but he should be re-signed and used as a complementary pass rusher to a better pass rusher.

The Jets can go about filling that hole in a few ways. Free agency is an option, Dante Fowler Jr. and Markus Golden are two guys the Jets have been tied to and both would be great additions. In the draft, there are a few guys I have grown fond of in the pre-draft process. Bradlee Anae, Josh Uche, Kenny Wilekes, Curtis Weaver and Jonathan Greenard are all very talented pass rushers who could be available for the Jets on Days 2 and 3. Any of those guys would be great additions to the Jets and could be capable of becoming elite pass rushers. The Jets need to form an elite pass-rushing tandem, maybe even a trio. The overall goal needs to be an establishment of pass rush and finally getting playmakers at the edge.

The Jets need to get a few more “dawgs” and if they do that then the Jets will have an elite defense that can help lead this team to playoff contention.

New York Jets Roadmap To a Ring: Free Agency Predictions

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New York Jets, Vic Beasley

This is section three of my multi-part series dedicated to laying out a blueprint for the New York Jets this offseason. It is essentially a blueprint of what I would do if I were in Joe Douglas’s shoes. Most moves are realistic, but keep in mind; there is A LOT of offseason to go. Part three is devoted to the “dawgs” the Jets should bring in during free agency.

Estimated Cap After Resigning Players & Cuts: $47,317,397

Joe Thuney G

Estimated Deal: $14 million a year for five years

Thuney is one of the best guards in football. He hasn’t missed a single game in his career, and he’s been one of the most efficient offensive linemen. Thuney is going to command BIG money, but that’s what you have to pay to get the best. Douglas needs to splurge and get a beast to pair with Alex Lewis on this offensive line. This would be a phenomenal move.

Ronald Darby CB

Estimated Deal: $5 million a year for two years

Darby was a very talented corner for the Eagles, but he had an awful campaign last year. He still has potential mainly because he played banged up most of last year, and in a Gregg Williams defense, Darby should be successful. Offensive line was prioritized, so the Jets subsequently miss out on Bradberry and Jones in this scenario, but the low-cost option in Darby is a good one.

Vic Beasley EDGE

Estimated Deal: $7.5 million a year for three years

Beasley is an underrated productive edge rusher. In his career, he’s had 37.5 sacks. He had eight sacks last season, and he is a major Swiss Army knife that Gregg Williams would love to have. Adding two low-cost, efficient players in Darby and Beasley immediately improves the defense. Pairing Beasley with Jenkins could be the edge-rushing answer for the short term.

Demarcus Robinson WR

Estimated Deal: $4 million a year for two years

Robinson can be a cheap asset for this team, and he allows for draft flexibility. Robinson would be able to slot in with Crowder, Doctson, and likely two draft picks and immediately become a vital piece of the offense. Gase would be able to have fun with a young receiver like Robinson, who is a dynamic playmaker.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai OL

Estimated Deal: $9.5 million a year for four years

Vaitai is an underrated value signing that I would be ecstatic for. Vaitai is a Super Bowl Champion who filled in admirably for Jason Peters in the past. Vaitai is versatile and has a connection to Douglas. By signing Vaitai, you add a starting-caliber lineman who can play wherever. Adding a guy like him makes Beachum less important and nearly expendable. Beachum could be a reliable mentor at left tackle for a rookie and excellent backup. Overall, Vaitai and Thuney immediately makes the offensive line more suitable for Sam Darnold. With the two of them, Alex Lewis, Chuma Edoga, and Kelvin Beachum, the Jets have a solid offensive line before the draft, where I plan to try to add two more linemen. This eases pressure, however, and makes offensive line less prioritized.

EDIT: Kelvin Beachum resigning becomes unnecessary, but in this case, I worked it into the team as depth.

Overview:

This would be a great free agency for the Jets. They would add two great offensive linemen and three low risk/high reward players. All of these moves lead up to the big event… the Draft.

The New York Jets Draft Dilemma

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New York Jets, Sam Darnold

This offseason is a very important one. Last offseason the New York Jets splurged on two big-ticket items, MLB C.J. Mosley and RB Lev Bell. Joe Douglas, according to many around the league, will not operate that way. The expectation is that as a former offensive lineman, Douglas wants to build from the trenches. If you look back at how his mentors, Howie Roseman, Eric DeCosta, and Phil Savage have operated, they’re big value guys. Expect Joe to find value in free agency, but with a premium pick in the oh draft, his biggest decision will be at pick 11.

Do they upgrade at the offensive line?

The Jets offensive line has been disastrous for the past few years. They haven’t invested a premium draft pick on an offensive lineman since the days of Ferguson and Mangold. The Jets need to find their anchor at left tackle for the future. This draft class has 4 great offensive tackle prospects that can go in the first 15 picks. Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Willis, and Andrew Thomas are all great offensive lineman prospects, one SHOULD be in the green and white. The overwhelming consensus is that even if the Jets upgrade the offensive line in free agency, they will still pick an offensive lineman at 11. This should be the way to go, but what if all 4 guys are off the board when the Jets are on the clock?

Do the Jets get a weapon?

Ceede Lamb and Jerry Jeudy are phenomenal wide receivers. Both guys will have a lot of success at the next level. However, even with the loss of Robby Anderson seeming more and more likely, the Jets shouldn’t pick a receiver at 11. Most years, it would probably be tough to pass on two great talents, or even Henry Ruggs, who could be an option at 11 as well, but this year’s wide receiver class is one of the best ever. Many analysts believe that starting-caliber receivers will be available all the way until Day 3. The New York Jets have a 2nd Rounder and two Thirds and should capitalize on the depth in the class in those rounds. If the Jets don’t have the opportunity to grab one of those 4 offensive linemen, then they should look to trade back into the backend of the first round and grab an offensive lineman like Austin Jackson or Josh Jones.

Overall, the offensive line is the biggest weakness of the Jets in this offseason. Upgrading it is vital and should be prioritized over adding a wideout in the first round. So, Joe Douglas, it’s time to build from the trenches and build a wall around Sam.

New York Jets: Aldon Smith Is Worth A Flier

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New York Jets

Aldon Smith was the 7th overall selection of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was a prolific pass rusher for the early part of his career. After troubles with the law and suspension from the NFL, Aldon Smith has disappeared from the football world. According to Jay Glazer, Smith is preparing for a comeback and he is sober. Barring reinstatement, Aldon Smith could be worth a shot for the New York Jets. 

Aldon Smith Was REALLY Good

Aldon Smith was a prolific pass rusher for the bulk of his shortened career. In his rookie season, Aldon put up BIG numbers. Smith had 37 tackles, 13 TFLs, 14.0 Sacks, 4 PDs, 2 FF & 1 FR. His game wrecking ability was prominent early and high expectations were exceeded in year 2. Aldon Smith was both an All-Star and a member of the First All-Pro Team in 2012. Smith had 66 tackles, 19.5 Sacks, 18 TFLs, 1 PD, 3 FF, & 1 INT. Smith lit up the stat sheet and was a top defensive player in all of football. However his off the field issues began to be an issue in 2013. After 4.5 sacks in his first 3 games, Smith was arrested for driving under the influence and marijuana possession. Smith went through rehabilitation and returned after missing 5 games. He was in a limited role and ultimately finished the season strong when his role grew back to regular size. He finished the season with 34 tackles, 11 TFLs, 8.5 Sacks, 1 FF & 1 FR. Despite the limited time, his performance was impressive especially after battling back from drug issues. He seemed like a success story but issues worsened. Smith has suspended nine games for substance abuse policy violations. Upon reinstatement, he had 2.0 Sacks, 15 tackles and 4 TFLs. He had a limited role and after more legal issues in the offseason, he was released. After a short and unimpressive run with Oakland, his run came to an end when he has suspended again and at this time has not received reinstatement.

The Jets Could Use Him

According to Jay Glazer Smith is clean and ready to return. The New York Jets are in a situation where they should take as many fliers on inexpensive pass rush solutions as possible. Smith would fit into a Gregg Williams defense and likely have a lot of success. Having only played a few seasons and only being 30, Smith is still in his athletic prime. The Jets could get him on a solid deal and pair him with a free agent acquisition and Tarell Basham and begin to build a solid edge rush. This could be a pipe dream but Aldon Smith would be a great flier for the Jets to take.