In years past, the primary reason for the New York Jets making big free agent signings was to win the back page of the New York City tabloids. From Neil O’Donnell to Le’Veon Bell, the franchise has paid what’s known as the “Jets Tax” for as long as I remember. What’s the “Jets Tax,” you ask? It’s where the New York Jets overpay free agents in hopes they’ll stay relevant. However, those signings backfire on the Jets and it’s back to the drawing board. When Joe Douglas was hired as Jets general manager, fans and pundits alike were curious to see how he would handle NFL free agency. It was evident during the 2021 season that the Jets had some position gaps. After the legal tampering period began at 1pm on Monday, Jets fans were excited to see how those gaps would be filled.
Laken Tomlinson: signed for three years, $40M
The first position gap Joe Douglas needed to fill for the Jets in NFL free agency was offensive line, particularly right guard. The right guard position was of concern during the 2021 season. Douglas needed an upgrade at this position and on day one of free agency, the Jets scooped up the best free agent in Laken Tomlinson. Originally drafted by Detroit, the former Niner is considered one of the best run blockers in football. He’s also familiar with the offensive scheme that offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur brought over from San Francisco. Brandon Scherff was also available, but Tomlinson is more durable. Tomlinson has only missed one game in seven seasons and the reason was not because of injury. It was because he needed to learn the playbook after being traded from Detroit to San Francisco before Week 1 of the 2017 season.
C.J. Uzomah: signed for three years, $24M
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The second position gap Joe Douglas needed to fill for the Jets in NFL free agency was tight end. LaFleur’s system is predicated on tight ends who can both run block and catch passes. With Dalton Schultz, David Njoku, and Mike Gesicki all receiving franchise tags, the Jets needed to shift their list. After Cincinnati franchise tagged safety Jessie Bates, C.J. Uzomah became available. Uzomah only had 493 yards receiving in 2021, but was valuable during the Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl with 15 receptions for 146 yards. He was also pivotal in the Bengals’ running game that enabled Joe Mixon to run for a career-best 1,205 yards. Now, Uzomah be another target for Zach Wilson and block for Michael Carter.
D.J. Reed: signed for three years, $33M
The third position gap Joe Douglas needed to fill for the Jets in NFL free agency was cornerback. While the position group improved in the last half of the 2021 season, they would be lit up like a Christmas tree at times. Bryce Hall thrived in Jeff Ulbrich’s system and Brandin Echols overcame early struggles to become a key part of the position group. But Douglas needed experience along with a run stopper in the secondary. Reed is another player head coach Robert Saleh knows very well; he played under Saleh while in San Francisco in 2018 and 2019. Reed finished with a career-high 10 passes defended in 2021 and had two interceptions. While he’s not a true CB1, Reed does give considerable improvement in Saleh’s scheme.
Jordan Whitehead: signed for two years, $14.5M
The fourth position gap Joe Douglas needed to fill for the Jets in NFL free agency was safety. This position group was ravaged by injury and inconsistency in 2021. Marcus Williams was considered the best free agent at safety, but he signed with Baltimore. The other big fish left out there was Tampa Bay safety Jordan Whitehead. Whitehead is another member of the secondary who can be an effective run stopper, which is where the Jets defense struggled in 2021. One of the coolest parts of this story is that Whitehead is a cousin of former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Hopefully, he can do what his cousin couldn’t and bring a Super Bowl to the Jets. This position definitely needed stabilization after Marcus Maye signed with New Orleans – which was announced after this signing.
Keeping Key Pieces
Joe Douglas also needed to keep several key pieces who were eligible for NFL free agency. The most important player the Jets kept was wide receiver/kick returner Braxton Berrios. The wide receiver room was decimated by injury throughout the season in 2021. Berrios developed a good rapport with Wilson and became the number one option at receiver until Berrios got hurt. Berrios is Mr. Switchblade for the Jets: he can do a little bit of everything offensively. With Jamison Crowder likely testing the market, Berrios will be the new slot receiver.
Another player the Jets retained was running back Tevin Coleman. While the Jets must figure out who the true RB2 is, Coleman will be that for now. Though he’s at the point of his career where he’s more of a third-down back, Coleman knows LaFleur’s system. He’ll earn a cool million for another year with the Jets. On defense, the Jets retained Nathan Shepherd. After losing Foley Fatukasi to Jacksonville, the Jets were thin on the defensive line. Shepherd didn’t have a great 2021, but the Jets needed depth and Shepherd was maintained. Fun fact: Shepherd, Quinnen Williams, Chuma Edoga, Tevon Wesco, and Blake Cashman are the last five players drafted from the Mike Macagnan Era to remain with the team.
So, are Joe Douglas and the Jets winning NFL free agency? Judging from a lot of the reaction from both Jets fans and NFL pundits, it’s safe to say: yes, they are. Now, let’s see if the success in free agency – along with any draft success – translates into an increase in the win total in 2022.
