Post by BEAC0NJET on Mar 14, 2019 9:45:22 GMT -5
www.nj.com/jets/2019/03/nfl-free-agents-2019-prioritizing-jets-top-25-targets-matt-paradis-leveon-bell-rodger-saffold-more.html
General manager Mike Maccagnan has a handful of roster holes remaining, including big ones at center, on the edge and at cornerback. But the Jets have other needs, too, both to upgrade some starting situations or improve their depth.
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So who are the most important targets for Maccagnan to fill those positions? We ranked the top players left on the board, in order, that he should be prioritizing:
1) OLB Justin Houston
The Jets missed out on some quality options in the hours they thought outside linebacker Anthony Barr was heading their way. But there’s still a very good one out there in Houston. There’s no doubt he’d be an upgrade for the Jets over what they have; he totaled 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. That said, he’s 30 years old. Maccagnan clearly would’ve preferred a young option, as he showed by targeting Barr, but he should still be on the radar, given Jordan Jenkins is the only somewhat-established OLB on the Jets’ current roster.
2) CB Bryce Callahan
Callahan would be a slot-corner upgrade over Buster Skrine, who agreed with the Bears on Monday. The Jets could feasibly start Parry Nickerson in that spot, if they wanted to. That is what they drafted him for, after all. But it’s not clear that Nickerson is really ready for that role, so it’d certainly be better to target Callahan than rely on the sixth-round selection next season. Callahan was terrific for the Bears last season, though there are some durability concerns with him.
3) CB Ronald Darby
Darby may have been No. 1 on this list by now had he not torn his ACL last season. But now there’s a good chance he’ll miss a chunk of the 2019 season and he comes with some added injury risk, too. The Jets seem like they could be leaning toward using Darryl Roberts as their No. 2 cornerback, but that’d be a risky choice. Even if Darby is currently banged up, betting on the 25-year-old to recover properly and return to his usual form would probably be the better move.
4) C/G Stefen Wisniewski
Unless the Jets are comfortable starting Jonotthan Harrison or a rookie draft pick at center, they’re going to have to find a center on the free-agent market. The best two are gone, in Paradis and Mitch Morse. Wisniewski is far from a surefire upgrade, given he spent last season as an Eagles backup and is on the brink of 30. But if the Jets aren’t sold on what they currently have, then Wisniewski may be the best of a few bad choices to plug that hole.
5) CB Brian Poole
The Jets are bringing Poole in for a visit, which shows that they’re searching for a slot cornerback. He’s not the same caliber of player as Callahan, but he’d certainly be an upgrade over Nickerson, who is currently the Jets’ in-house option. This team is thin at corner and needs to find some talent as quickly as possible.
6) DE Ezekiel Ansah
Ansah being on the list is more a function of the Jets’ need in the pass rush than his individual value. Though, with Henry Anderson re-signing, there’s a chance that the Jets could just make him a full-time defensive end instead of the rotational piece he was last season. But really, they could probably still use DE help. Ansah was limited to just four sacks last season, which hurt his stock immensely – especially coupled with the fact that he’s nearly 30 years old. But he did post 12 sacks in 2017 and 14.5 in 2015, so there’s reason to believe that he could be a productive pass rusher, even if he doesn’t reach those same highs again. The Jets need productive pass rushers and the options are running thin after two days of open negotiating.
7) DT Ndamukong Suh
Suh isn’t the Jets’ best option at defensive tackle – that’d probably be Alabama’s Quinnen Williams, if they opt to take him with the No. 3 pick. So that’s why Suh is further down the list. But Suh is probably the best free-agent option on the table at a position the Jets clearly need to fill after dumping Mike Pennel and with 33-year-old Steve McLendon out of contract,. He nearly became a Jet last year, then landed with the Rams instead. He was OK, but not his old self, with the Rams.
8) DT Timmy Jernigan
Again, the Jets are basically devoid of defensive tackles right now, so the top DT options on the market have to make this list by default. At 26, Jernigan is substantially younger than Suh, but also doesn’t come with the same pedigree – he has 15.5 sacks through five seasons. He was also limited to just three games last year due to injury. He may not be super exciting, but the Jets have a need to fill.
9) TE Jared Cook
The Jets and head coach Adam Gase have made it clear that they love Chris Herndon, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t use another quality tight end. Jordan Leggett hasn’t been all that impressive through his first two years, after all. Cook would certainly be a luxury, but he’d be another terrific target to help Sam Darnold. He’ll be 32 by next season, sure, but he also just post 896 receiving yards and six touchdowns for a terrible Raiders team last year. Sure seems like he has gas left in the tank.
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So who are the most important targets for Maccagnan to fill those positions? We ranked the top players left on the board, in order, that he should be prioritizing:
1) OLB Justin Houston
The Jets missed out on some quality options in the hours they thought outside linebacker Anthony Barr was heading their way. But there’s still a very good one out there in Houston. There’s no doubt he’d be an upgrade for the Jets over what they have; he totaled 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. That said, he’s 30 years old. Maccagnan clearly would’ve preferred a young option, as he showed by targeting Barr, but he should still be on the radar, given Jordan Jenkins is the only somewhat-established OLB on the Jets’ current roster.
2) CB Bryce Callahan
Callahan would be a slot-corner upgrade over Buster Skrine, who agreed with the Bears on Monday. The Jets could feasibly start Parry Nickerson in that spot, if they wanted to. That is what they drafted him for, after all. But it’s not clear that Nickerson is really ready for that role, so it’d certainly be better to target Callahan than rely on the sixth-round selection next season. Callahan was terrific for the Bears last season, though there are some durability concerns with him.
3) CB Ronald Darby
Darby may have been No. 1 on this list by now had he not torn his ACL last season. But now there’s a good chance he’ll miss a chunk of the 2019 season and he comes with some added injury risk, too. The Jets seem like they could be leaning toward using Darryl Roberts as their No. 2 cornerback, but that’d be a risky choice. Even if Darby is currently banged up, betting on the 25-year-old to recover properly and return to his usual form would probably be the better move.
4) C/G Stefen Wisniewski
Unless the Jets are comfortable starting Jonotthan Harrison or a rookie draft pick at center, they’re going to have to find a center on the free-agent market. The best two are gone, in Paradis and Mitch Morse. Wisniewski is far from a surefire upgrade, given he spent last season as an Eagles backup and is on the brink of 30. But if the Jets aren’t sold on what they currently have, then Wisniewski may be the best of a few bad choices to plug that hole.
5) CB Brian Poole
The Jets are bringing Poole in for a visit, which shows that they’re searching for a slot cornerback. He’s not the same caliber of player as Callahan, but he’d certainly be an upgrade over Nickerson, who is currently the Jets’ in-house option. This team is thin at corner and needs to find some talent as quickly as possible.
6) DE Ezekiel Ansah
Ansah being on the list is more a function of the Jets’ need in the pass rush than his individual value. Though, with Henry Anderson re-signing, there’s a chance that the Jets could just make him a full-time defensive end instead of the rotational piece he was last season. But really, they could probably still use DE help. Ansah was limited to just four sacks last season, which hurt his stock immensely – especially coupled with the fact that he’s nearly 30 years old. But he did post 12 sacks in 2017 and 14.5 in 2015, so there’s reason to believe that he could be a productive pass rusher, even if he doesn’t reach those same highs again. The Jets need productive pass rushers and the options are running thin after two days of open negotiating.
7) DT Ndamukong Suh
Suh isn’t the Jets’ best option at defensive tackle – that’d probably be Alabama’s Quinnen Williams, if they opt to take him with the No. 3 pick. So that’s why Suh is further down the list. But Suh is probably the best free-agent option on the table at a position the Jets clearly need to fill after dumping Mike Pennel and with 33-year-old Steve McLendon out of contract,. He nearly became a Jet last year, then landed with the Rams instead. He was OK, but not his old self, with the Rams.
8) DT Timmy Jernigan
Again, the Jets are basically devoid of defensive tackles right now, so the top DT options on the market have to make this list by default. At 26, Jernigan is substantially younger than Suh, but also doesn’t come with the same pedigree – he has 15.5 sacks through five seasons. He was also limited to just three games last year due to injury. He may not be super exciting, but the Jets have a need to fill.
9) TE Jared Cook
The Jets and head coach Adam Gase have made it clear that they love Chris Herndon, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t use another quality tight end. Jordan Leggett hasn’t been all that impressive through his first two years, after all. Cook would certainly be a luxury, but he’d be another terrific target to help Sam Darnold. He’ll be 32 by next season, sure, but he also just post 896 receiving yards and six touchdowns for a terrible Raiders team last year. Sure seems like he has gas left in the tank.
