After clearing quite a bit of room under the salary cap, who are some bargain players that the New York Jets could target in 2017 NFL free agency?
One of the highlights of the NFL offseason begins on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. ET when free agency gets underway with the start of the new league year. Will the New York Jets be aggressive players in free agency, or will they let the market come to them a little bit and try to snatch a bargain or two?
With the recent releases of veterans Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall, the Jets have a little over $33 million in cap space, per Over the Cap. That means they can be aggressive to some degree while still looking for potential deals that make financial sense as well.
If Gang Green decides to do a little bargain basement shopping, so to speak, here are a trio of free agents they could sign without breaking the bank.
Dec 5, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) catches a pass during the first half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
3. Jack Doyle, TE – Indianapolis Colts
The tight end position for the Jets was so pathetic last season that the following numbers have to be seen to be believed. For the entire 2016 season, the Jets had a total of 18 receptions from their tight ends (10 from Austin Seferian-Jenkins and eight from Brandon Bostick). That averages out to a paltry 1.125 catches per game.
In contrast, Jack Doyle scaled that low bar in the sixth game of 2016 against the Houston Texans. Now entering his fifth NFL campaign, Doyle is a fine red zone target and is coming off the best season of his career, posting 59 receptions for 584 yards and five touchdowns.
The Western Kentucky product would instantly upgrade the position and he should not be too expensive to sign. According to Spotrac, Doyle's Calculated Market Value is $6.2 million annually, which is reasonable considering a player with his upside. It sounds like a no-brainer.
Nov 29, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; San Diego Chargers tight end John Phillips (83) catches a pass as Jacksonville Jaguars strong safety Johnathan Cyprien (37) defends in the fourth quarter at EverBank Field. The San Diego Chargers won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
2. Johnathan Cyprien, Safety – Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jets struggled at the safety position last year and Johnathan Cyprien would provide a nice upgrade. The North Miami Beach, FL native finished third on the Jags in solo tackles with 96 last season (128 total), while adding a sack, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four passes defended. It was far and away his best season as a pro, though he'd been progressing since coming into the league.
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Cyprien is a hard-hitter and could step right in and start over current strong safety Calvin Pryor, who has been a disappointment since being drafted as New York's first-round pick (18th overall) in 2014. Cyprien is dependable as well, having missed just four games in four seasons in the league.
Per Spotrac, Cyprien's Calculated Market Value is $4.9 million, a very affordable figure for a player in his prime. There should be a decent market for his services as he's coming off of the best season of his career. That could drive up the price, or it could merely set the bar for what he'll take. In that regard, New York may have to give him a four-year contract at a slightly higher salary to obtain his services, but the investment would be well worth it to shore up a secondary that was a pointed area of weakness in 2016 and needs a serious influx of youth and talent to improve moving forward.
Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills (10) catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. The Patriots won 35-14. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
1. Kenny Stills, WR – Miami Dolphins
Now that Brandon Marshall has been jettisoned from the Jets roster, New York could use another wide receiver to play alongside Quincy Enunwa and Eric Decker. A player they should pursue aggressively is Kenny Stills, who had a career-high nine touchdown receptions in 2016 while playing in South Beach with Ryan Tannehill tossing him the pigskin.
The University of Oklahoma product is just 24 years old and has excellent speed. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch, including a 74-yard reception last year. His ability to burn teams deep with home run plays is a dimension the Jets have been sorely missing the last several seasons.
Stills' Calculated Market Value is $6.4 million according to Spotrac, but he is likely to command a higher annual salary on the open market. New York has over $33 million in cap space, so they can be definite players for Stills' services.
The Jets will face competition for Stills from the Philadelphia Eagles, per nj.com. It would serve them well, though, to actively pursue him because of his dynamic upside and game-breaking ability. Of course, that still leaves them needing figure out who would be throwing balls to Stills if they sign the free agent wideout.
