One other vast receiver got here off the board on Monday, making the checklist shrink a little bit extra with per week to go earlier than NFL free company opens.
The Buccaneers and veteran Mike Evans agreed to a reported two-year, $52 million contract on Monday that can preserve him off the free-agent market.
He’s the most recent vast receiver to be taken off the checklist and he won’t be the final.
The Bengals used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins and the Colts are anticipated to position the tag on Michael Pittman Jr. earlier than Tuesday’s deadline if they’re unable to succeed in a long-term deal.
The place does this depart the Jets with the free-agent negotiating window opening at midday subsequent Monday?
It’s not a super state of affairs for a group that’s on the lookout for a powerful complement to younger star Garrett Wilson.
If Pittman will get tagged, as anticipated, that would go away Calvin Ridley as the highest receiver anticipated to hit free company.
The Jaguars are usually not anticipated to re-sign Ridley earlier than free company opens as a result of in the event that they do the third-round choose they owe the Falcons from their commerce turns into a second-round choose.
It is sensible for Jacksonville to attend even when it opens the door for groups just like the Jets.
The query for the Jets is how excessive to go within the bidding for Ridley, who had 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns final season.
He is an efficient receiver that has had off-field points and was suspended for the 2022 season for playing. However costs are exploding on the receiver market.
There was some shock Monday that Evans received $26 million per season. Pittman is anticipated to get greater than $20 million per season as soon as a deal will get completed with the Colts.
Is it sensible for the Jets to take a position on the prime finish of the market or wouldn’t it be smarter for them to throw that cash on the offensive line and signal cheaper vast receivers or draft one within the third spherical?
After Ridley, there’s a drop-off available in the market. The following group of receivers is Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Gabe Davis, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Boyd and Odell Beckham Jr.
These gamers must be within the $10 million-$15 million per yr vary, which can be extra palatable for the Jets.
Joe Douglas received stung within the vast receiver market final season when he overpaid for Allen Lazard.
He gave Lazard a four-year, $44 million contract and Lazard ended up catching 23 passes, only one for a landing and was inactive for 3 video games late within the season.
You marvel if that might be behind Douglas’ thoughts earlier than he wades too deep into the vast receiver market.
If you’re on the lookout for connections, Brown performed for brand spanking new Jets vast receivers coach Shawn Jefferson in 2022 with the Cardinals. Jefferson’s opinion of Brown ought to strongly form the Jets’ strategy to him.
The Jets went after Beckham final April on the request of Aaron Rodgers.
They thought they have been going to signal him till the Ravens got here in with a $16 million supply that shocked the Jets. May they revisit Beckham?
It’s unlikely that Rodgers’ opinion of Beckham has modified. However Beckham had a down season with the Ravens. He had 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
Douglas might select so as to add a less expensive choice in free company after which attempt to land a No. 2 vast receiver within the draft. This yr’s receiver class is taken into account deep by draft specialists.
The Jets are anticipated to focus on a deal with with their first-round choose and at present would not have a second-rounder however might draft a receiver within the third spherical.
There’s additionally the opportunity of a shock commerce growing.
Davante Adams will not be anticipated be moved by the Raiders after earlier hypothesis that he can be traded. However the vast receiver market will be robust to foretell. Nobody anticipated the Chiefs to commerce Tyreek Hill two years in the past till it occurred.
The vast receiver street might be an fascinating one for Douglas to navigate over the approaching weeks and it certainly will function a lot extra twists and turns.
