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Once the NFL lockout ends, there may not be a more intriguing team than the Jets.
Rex Ryan’s crew is coming off consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game, where they were twice on the cusp of the franchise’s first Super Bowl since 1969. The Jets have three high-profile free agents in Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie. Throw in general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who likes to get creative and make big moves, and you have a mix that will be fascinating to watch.
Assuming the collective bargaining agreement gets approved early this week and free agency begins, Tannenbaum will be on the clock to adjust his roster on the fly as the Jets try to get one game further than the last two seasons.
Here are top 10 questions for the Jets on the eve of free agency:
Q: Which receivers will they keep?
A: The Jets have to make decisions on Holmes, Edwards and Brad Smith. The Jets have said they’d like to keep all of them, but that seems unrealistic. The likelihood is they wind up with either Holmes or Edwards, and Smith goes elsewhere. Holmes is going to be more costly but is considered the better player. It will be interesting to see what owner Woody Johnson is willing to spend to keep him.
Q: What about Randy Moss and Plaxico Burress?
A: The Jets’ desire is to keep their own receivers, but if Holmes and/or Edwards walks, it would not be surprising to see the Jets sign either of these veterans that come along with baggage. Ryan and Tannenbaum have shown they like to sign players who feel they have something to prove. It worked last year with LaDainian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor.
Q: Will Tannenbaum make a big move?
A: Over the last three years, Tannenbaum has made headline-grabbing acquisitions like Brett Favre, Edwards and Holmes, and trading up to draft Mark Sanchez. It doesn’t seem like he’ll have the time or cap flexibility to pull off one of those moves this year, but you can never doubt him. Free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is going to cost big bucks, but imagine him paired with Darrelle Revis.
Q: Will Cromartie be teamed with Revis again?
A: Cromartie was a big pickup for the Jets last year. He complemented Revis and picked up the slack when Revis was out with a hamstring injury. He said this week he won’t be taking a “hometown discount,” but the Jets probably will pay up to bring him back. Kyle Wilson did not look ready to start last year.
Q: Do they have room under the salary cap to make moves?
A: At the moment, probably not. But there are several elements built into the proposed CBA that would give the Jets some relief, and they need to re-work a few current contracts. They will try to sign linebacker David Harris to a long-term deal that will bring his cap number down, and Sanchez probably will be asked to reconfigure his contract to decrease his cap number.
Q: Did the lockout hurt the Jets more than other teams?
A: The Jets are probably one of the teams that will be least affected by the lockout. They will be bringing back their entire coaching staff, most of their players and they have made two straight trips to the AFC title game. The lost organized team activities and workouts should hurt them much less than rebuilding teams.
Q: Is there any position other than receiver where the Jets have big decisions?
A: Safeties Eric Smith, Brodney Pool and James Ihedigbo are all free agents. Who is going to be playing next to Jim Leonhard? Smith has a lot of value on special teams but Pool is the better safety. Eric Weddle, Quintin Mikell and Dawan Landry are the top safeties available if the Jets decide to go outside.
Q: Who is the new right tackle?
A: After three seasons, the Jets released Damien Woody in February. Second year lineman Vlad Ducasse is the favorite to start entering training camp, but he struggled last year playing left guard. The Jets hope a move to tackle, his college position, will help him. Don’t be surprised if they bring Woody back if Ducasse struggles initially.
Q: Can anyone kick the ball?
A: Both kicker Nick Folk and punter Steve Weatherford are free agents. The Jets seem ready to let Weatherford walk, but Folk probably will return. The Jets signed Nick Novak before the lockout, and there probably will be a competition for the job. Special teams coach Mike Westhoff probably will do the same thing at punter where T.J. Conley already is on the roster. Expect Conley and a mystery punter to battle it out.
Q: Will Shaun Ellis be back for one more year?
A: Drafted in 2000 by Bill Parcells, Ellis is the longest-tenured Jet. He finished strong last year, with a great playoff game against the Patriots. The Jets selected Muhammad Wilkerson in the first round of the draft, and Wilkerson could replace Ellis down the road. This year, though, they need to bring the vet back for one more go.
Jets’ free agents
Kellen Clemens, QB
Drew Coleman, CB
Antonio Cromartie, CB
Braylon Edwards, WR
Shaun Ellis, DE
Nick Folk, K
Santonio Holmes, WR
Wayne Hunter, T
James Ihedigbo, S
Lance LauryI, LB
Brodney Pool, S
Trevor Pryce, DT
Tony Richardson, FB
Brad Smith, S
Eric Smith, S
Steve Weatherford, P