Locked On Jets - Daily Podcast On The New York Jets

Past lessons should show the Jets the importance of stability at wide receiver.

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This week's podcast mailbag comes a day later than usual. Muhammad Wilkerson and Matt Forte pushed the mailbag from Thursday to Friday. Thanks once again to everybody who submitted questions. I got to as many of them as I could. Apologies to those who sent questions that were unanswered this week. Feel free to send them again next week.

Today we look at some of the options for a stopgap placeholder quarterback in the event the Jets do not sign Kirk Cousins, whether the time is now to give Leonard Williams a contract extension, which positions are better addressed in the Draft, which positions are better addressed in free agency, which cornerbacks the Jets should target in free agency, how much stock we should put into rumors coming out of the Combine, and whether Jordan Jenkins could play inside linebacker.

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Wednesday was full of action for the Jets.

The team cleared around $14 million in salary cap space following a pair of newsworthy events. The Jets released Muhammad Wilkerson, clearing around $11 million. Matt Forte retired, which opened up around $3 million in space. 

There are no surprises. The departures of Wilkerson and Forte were widely expected. The only questions were the timing and whether Forte would retire before he was released.

On today's podcast, we take a look at the moves as well as the legacy these players leave behind with the Jets.

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For close to a decade, it seems like the Jets have had one philosophy at the running back position. They have targeted old, big name running backs. This is not simply a Mike Maccagnan thing. It also happened during the days of Mike Tannenbaum and John Idzik.

In 2010, Tannenbaum signed the legendary LaDainian Tomlinson from the Chargers to be what he hoped would be one of the final pieces of a Jets Super Bowl puzzle. Four years later, Idzik brought in former 2,000 yard rusher Chris Johnson to help push the Jets into the Playoffs. Two years later, Maccagnan signed former Bears star Matt Forte for the same reason.

None of these moves worked terribly well. (Tomlinson was nowhere near as productive as you might remember.) Beyond that, these signings had implications that hurt the team. Younger, better running backs were either discarded or had their playing time limited.

On today's podcast we talk about the need for the Jets to change their approach at the position. Instead of seeking out the biggest name, it is time to look for younger and cheaper options with more upside.

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A look at the cornerbacks the Jets have.

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Today's podcast focuses on a couple of pieces of news from the weekend.

One deals with the Jets' past. Linebacker David Harris announced his retirement from the NFL. Harris spent ten of his eleven NFL seasons with the Jets. A 2007 second round pick out of Michigan, he was seldom flashy but did his job consistently well for the team. A look at the Jets' recent second round history shows why Jets fans should have a deep appreciation for his contributions to the team.

The other piece of news deals indirectly with the Jets' present and future. Jacksonville extended quarterback Blake Bortles' contract. While this is mainly a Jaguars story, it does have some implications for the Jets. A number of people figured Jacksonville could move on from Bortles and offer free agent Kirk Cousins a compelling landing spot. The Jaguars are now locked into another year of Bortles so the Jets have one less competitor in the free agent arena. 

We will talk Harris, Bortles, and broad team building theories on this Monday podcast.

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Times I have gotten it wrong through the years.

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A mailbag as we get closer to the Draft and free agency.

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It is option season for the Jets. By that I mean the team has to make a number of decisions on whether to keep players or let them go to free agency. Many contracts come with options that allow the Jets to either continue them for another year or let the player go.

So far this week the Jets have made three decisions on contract options. They have picked up the option for two, Steve McLendon and Josh Martin, and declined the option of one player, Ben Ijalana, Ijalana will become a free agent unless the team signs him to a new contract for 2018.

On today's podcast we take a look at the decisions the Jets made, and I offer my thoughts. I agree completely with one of these decisions. I have some quibbles with another. For the third, I agree with the specific decision, but I can't give the Jets any credit because the team was really dumb for getting itself in a position to have to make it.

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Four types of free agent quarterbacks the Jets could go after.

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