Mandatory minicamp and offseason workouts may be finished for the New York Jets, but the front office still has plenty to get done ahead of training camp.
Whether it’s locking up current homegrown talents, or finding common ground with an All-Pro, general manager Joe Douglas has a lot to figure out over the next 30+ days before the start of camp.
Jets Remaining 2024 Offseason Checklist
If there’s one common theme throughout Joe Douglas’ tenure since being hired in 2019, it’s that he’s never afraid to let negotiations and major roster decisions come at the very last minute.
Whether it’s signing Quinnen Williams to a long-term extension after offseason workouts concluded or trading for Aaron Rodgers just a few weeks before the NFL Draft, Douglas has never been shy about remaining patient regarding some of the organization’s bigger decisions.
That’s what makes his process with the remaining Jets’ checklist unsurprising, albeit something that must be addressed as soon as possible.
Let’s go through the remaining checklist now.
Create Cap Space
The good news is the Jets have filled all the holes that needed to be addressed throughout the offseason. Whether it was the signing of Tyron Smith or the trade for Morgan Moses, the Jets are a lot better than they were four months ago.
The bad news? New York has minimal cap space to accomplish any of the remaining moves that need to be done.
According to Over The Cap, Gang Green has just over $6 million in cap space. If the Jets want to accomplish all that they need to, creating cap space by restructuring current deals for players already on the roster will be the first thing they need to do.
By reworking the contracts of the All-Pro Williams brothers and cornerback D.J. Reed, the Jets can create over $20 million in cap space — more than enough to finish off the rest of this list. It really will be a matter of when and not if these contracts are restructured.
The Jets won’t be able to operate without more cap space this year.
Sign Haason Reddick to Bridge Deal
There’s a reason why the Jets need to create cap space before they agree to terms with Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick on a new deal.
Reddick’s absence from mandatory minicamp may have come as a surprise to the Jets at this point, but it was the second straight year he sat out of offseason workouts in hopes of getting a new deal.
MORE: Where Is Haason Reddick? Jets Star Posts Video from Japan Amid Holdout
The 29-year-old edge rusher is the 19th-highest-paid player at his position — something he wants changed before he hits free agency for what could be the final major payday of his career.
Reddick is one of just four players in the NFL to record over 10 sacks in each of the last four seasons. He has reportedly looked for a contract worth over $25 million annually — something the Jets obviously do not have right now.
The clear sign an agreement is coming close, though, is when New York inevitably agrees to contract restructures with other players in the organization.
Extend Michael Carter II
The Jets know they have a difficult decision to make regarding their cornerback room. Reed and Michael Carter II are both set to hit free agency following the upcoming season, and Sauce Gardner is in line for extension talks at the same time.
That leaves New York with the difficult task of trying to decide the odd man out of the group.
Simply put, Carter should not be the player leaving. He has consistently ranked as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the game over the last two seasons and has helped the Jets’ secondary rank in the top three of most passing categories.
Locking him up to a long-term extension before he hits free agency will not only show that the Jets want to keep homegrown talent, but show they learned from the mistake of not negotiating with former edge rusher Bryce Huff sooner.
Agree With Malachi Corley on Rookie Contract
People forget because of Reddick’s contract status, but one player remains unsigned from the current 2024 rookie class. The longer third-round rookie Malachi Corley remains unsigned, the tougher it will be for the Jets to complete this contract before the start of training camp.
After spending the entire draft process raving about how perfect a fit Corley is for the team, Corley’s representation has tried to use that as leverage to get a fully guaranteed contract.
It seems that both sides remain a little passive in agreeing to this. This is another move that will eventually get done, but needs to be accomplished before camp.