Woody Johson made issues clear a couple of month in the past in Las Vegas: The 2024 season is do-or-die for basic supervisor Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh.
That season basically begins now as Douglas dives into free company and makes an attempt to plug a number of the holes on a roster that went 7-10 final season.
The negotiating window opens at midday Monday, permitting groups to contact the brokers for gamers who’re going to be free brokers.
There’s normally a flurry of agreements Monday afternoon into Tuesday.
By 4 p.m. on Wednesday when contracts can grow to be formally signed, we’re normally by way of the primary wave of free company.
The query for the Jets is how lively they are going to be within the early hours of free company, when the {dollars} are flowing and gamers get overpaid.
They’ve been burned within the first wave earlier than.
Douglas may decide to attend till the second wave begins and bargains will be discovered.
The Jets know they’ve a brief window to win.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers can be 41 in December, and Johnson is clearly out of endurance with the group’s playoff drought at 13 seasons.
“The discussions I’ve had within the final couple of months, they’ve seen me about as mad as I will be, with what was happening with the offense significantly,” Johnson mentioned at NFL Honors final month. “We’ve bought all this expertise, and we’ve bought to deploy expertise correctly. I believe all of them bought the message. That is it. That is the time to go. We’ve bought to provide this 12 months. We have now to provide this 12 months.”
The Jets have about $26 million in wage cap area and might create extra with contract restructures in the event that they want it.
Whereas the surface world focuses on cap area, the extra essential query is how a lot money Johnson is keen to spend.
The Jets have been fourth within the NFL in money spending final 12 months.
Will Johnson wish to throw cash round once more or will he give Douglas a tighter price range?
We should always know by the tip of this week.
There isn’t a thriller about what the areas of want are.
They at the moment have simply two starters returning alongside the offensive line.
Alijah Vera-Tucker is coming off an Achilles tear, and Joe Tippmann is getting into his second season.
Douglas has to search out three starters to go together with them.
He probably will draft a deal with with the No. 10 total choose, however he ought to add two gamers in free company.
At deal with, Tyron Smith is among the high choices, however the longtime Cowboys star is 33 years outdated and has a historical past of accidents.
The Bengals’ Jonah Williams can be on the high of the market, however there are questions on him.
A safer route for Douglas could be signing two guards and transferring Vera-Tucker to deal with.
Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson and Mike Onwenu are on the high of the guard market.
There are bargains available with Damien Lewis, Jon Runyan and Kevin Zeitler.
Moreover fixing the road, Douglas additionally wants so as to add a No. 2 extensive receiver to enhance Garrett Wilson.
The receiver market has dried up some with franchise tags and long-term contracts getting handed out.
Nonetheless, count on the Jets to return away with somebody at this place.
Calvin Ridley, Marquise Brown and Darnell Mooney are on the high of the market.
The Bengals’ Tyler Boyd may make sense and mustn’t break the financial institution.
The Jets additionally should handle their very own free brokers.
It appears to be like like edge rusher Bryce Huff goes to hit the market.
The Jets need him again, however he could be too costly.
Huff is anticipated to generate a number of curiosity, and if his price ticket will get north of $15 million, the Jets could be keen to let him stroll.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead are additionally priorities to re-sign.
Lastly, Douglas wants to deal with the backup quarterback spot.
Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, Jacoby Brissett and Tyrod Taylor are all prospects to again up Rodgers.
