Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive
The list of Jets' needs seemed pretty obvious when the offseason began. Yet several months in, they still haven't done much to plug holes at center, edge rusher and cornerback, in particular.
So it's a good thing for them that free agency isn't over. In fact, Wave 2 is about to begin.
Starting on Tuesday, the free-agent signing period figures to heat back up because that's the first day that free-agent signings do not count against the NFL's compensatory draft pick formula. That formula, which determines comp picks for the next draft, takes into account free agent signings, losses, money spent and performance. But any player a team signs starting tomorrow, won't count against his new team.
That's why teams have held off on signing players after the first wave of free agency in mid-March. And it's why so many veterans are still available this late in the spring. For the Jets, who still have more than $25 million in salary cap space, that could be huge.
Here's a look at some of the players they could pursue:
DE Ziggy Ansah - The Jets' biggest need was clearly an edge rusher, and so far their only answer to that has been to draft linebacker Jachai Polite out of Florida in the third-round of the draft. Considering he's a controversial and polarizing prospect who is far from a guarantee, the Jets still need help. Enter the 6-5, 275-pound Ansah, who is about to turn 30 and is coming off a shoulder injury. If healthy, he's the best pass rusher left on the market. He had 12 sacks in 14 games in 2017 and totaled 48 in his six years in Detroit.
C Stefen Wisniewski - The Jets have already brought the 6-3, 305-pounder in for a visit, so keep an eye on him. He did lose his job in Philly last season and, at age 30, might be more of a backup at this point. But that's fine. The Jets need a veteran center to play behind Jonotthan Harrison, and it's a bonus that he can back up the guard spots, too.
LB Shane Ray - He's far less accomplished than Ansah, and his last two seasons have been basically ruined by wrist injuries. He also became buried on the depth chart in Denver when they drafted Bradley Chubb last year. He's got to be worth a shot for a pass-rush-needy team, though. He had eight sacks in 2016 - the last time he played a full season. And the 6-3, 245 pounder will only turn 26 in two weeks.
CB Captain Munnerlyn - The Jets seem comfortable with Darryl Roberts starting opposite Trumaine Johnson in their secondary, and with Brian Poole as the slot corner. Beyond that, they have a lot of young players with question marks and it sure seems like they could use some veteran depth. Oddly, the best available player might be their own Mo Claiborne, but so far there's no indication they want him back. The 31-year-old Munnerlyn isn't what he used to be, and he's only 5-9, but he'd be a welcome presence backing up Poole and giving the Jets some insurance.
WR Michael Crabtree - The Jets like their receiving corps much better than most others, but even they know that beyond their Big 3 of Jamison Crowder, Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson, the roster is pretty thin. The 6-1, 215-pound Crabtree turns 32 in September and is clearly on the decline. But from 2015-17 he was a really good red-zone target for the Raiders (25 touchdowns) and he did catch 54 passes for 607 yards last season. He'd make a good fourth receiver and would provide some much needed depth.