“Thinkin’ of a master plan, cause ain’t nothin’ but sweat inside my hand.”
Those are lyrics by Eric B. And Rakim’s Paid in Full song from 1987. But that’s how Jets general manager Joe Douglas probably should feel heading into free agency this offseason.
A year ago, the Jets went all in to acquire Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Packers. Before the trade was official, Douglas and Jets coach Robert Saleh made several transactions to appease Rodgers.
Following an offseason full of free-agent misses, this is a critical period for both Douglas and Saleh. Jets owner Woody Johnson criticized the team last month during the NFL Honors Red Carpet.
“They’ve seen me about as mad as I could be with what was going on with the offense particularly,” Johnson said. “We’ve got all this talent and we’ve got to deploy talent properly.
Last season, Gang Green signed wide receiver Allen Lazard, who played five seasons with Rodgers in Green Bay, to a four-year, $44 million contract. They also added wide receiver Randall Cobb, tackle Billy Turner, and quarterback Tim Boyle, who all had played with Rodgers in Green Bay. After a 7-10 finish in 2023, those moves clearly worked out poorly for the Jets.
After five seasons with the Jets, it’s playoffs or bust for Douglas in 2024. During his five seasons as general manager, the Jets have a 27-56 record.
There is not a long list of general managers who have survived five consecutive losing seasons. Douglas knows the sand in the hourglass is running out if the Jets don’t make the playoffs in 2024.
“We know exactly what we have to do moving forward,” Douglas said during the NFL Scouting Combine last month. “The pressure is always intrinsic in his job whenever you walk in every day, but I can tell you that we’re not stressed.
“We’re prepared to answer the bell here with the decisions that have to be made moving forward. A lot of that has to do with the meetings that we had after the last time I talked to you guys and I feel really good about all of us, the personnel staff, coaching staff, analytics and everybody being on the same page.”
We are about to find out if Douglas and the Jets are prepared to answer the bell. The NFL legal tampering period begins Monday at noon ET, which is when teams begin negotiations with agents of unrestricted free agents before the start of the new league year on March 13 at 4 p.m.
Gang Green isn’t expected to make a ton of big splashes when free agency begins. Even in a year where Douglas and Saleh know they have to win, the organization will likely do what they’ve done the last few seasons and make gradual moves.
Douglas became the Jets general manager on June 7, 2019. From 2020 to now, the Jets have given out more than $220 million in guaranteed money to various players.
Most Jet fans remember Douglas hitting the 2022 NFL Draft out of the park by drafting Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson, and Breece Hall. Douglas should also receive credit for claiming Quincy Williams and John Franklin-Myers off waivers, who both have been foundational pieces on the Jets top-five defense the last two seasons. But Douglas’ misses have been glaringly obvious, especially recently.
Douglas made several acquisitions in 2023, but the best of the bunch were Williams, punter Thomas Morstead, and the re-signings of kicker Greg Zuerlein. In 2021, Douglas signed defensive end Carl Lawson (three-year, $45 million), wide receiver Corey Davis (three-year, $37 million), and in 2022, guard Laken Tomlinson (three-year, $40 million, and tight end C.J. Uzomah (three-year, $24 million) all to lucrative contracts. None of those players are currently on the Jets roster.
The Jets signed Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal worth $7 million last summer, including $5.8 million guaranteed. He rushed for only 214 yards in 15 games before the Jets released him with one game left in the season.
The Jets’ offensive line remains a mess. The team had 14 different combinations in 17 games last season, a year after 11 different players started on the line in 2022.
Gang Green must also address the backup quarterback position and add another receiver after the Lazard failed experiment. Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, and Jacoby Brissett are likely at the top of the Jets backup quarterback wishlist. Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, and Marquise Brown are receivers the Jets could possibly target.
This doesn’t even include the Jets’ need at defensive tackle and maybe adding another safety. Entering free agency, the Jets have about $27 million to spend. They could also create more cap room by restructuring a few contracts.
After a year of speculation and high expectations, the time for talk is over. All we heard from Jets players last offseason and preseason was how good this team could be after acquiring Rodgers. Now, it is time for them to finally produce on the field.
Rodgers, who will turn 41 in December, is coming off an Achilles tear that kept him out of all but four plays in 2023. Johnson’s patience is running thin after the Jets now have the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports.
The pressure is on Douglas like never before. If the Jets are going to end their postseason drought, they will have to use this offseason and free agency to help shape the team.
