As the 2022 NFL Combine is about to begin, free agency moves into full swing before the legal tampering period commences. One name that is on everyone’s radar is New York Jets’ left tackle George Fant. After an excellent season, is Fant in line to get a massive contract extension?
New York Jets left tackle George Fant to get extension?
Last month, I reported that it was likely the Jets would try to extend starting left tackle George Fant’s contract. Fant is in the final year of a three-year deal he signed in 2020.
I’m now told both sides will come together at the Combine with the hopes of getting a deal done. Some in the league tell me the Jets will use the recent three-year, $37.5 million extension the Washington Commanders gave to Charles Leno as their barometer.
If Fant doesn’t get the deal he wants — which I suspect is a bigger contract than Leno’s — expect him to roll the dice and play out the final year of his contract with the hope he plays as well as, if not better than, he did in 2021.
If that happens, Fant will be in line for a deal that pays him in excess of $18 million per season when he hits the open market in 2023.
Fant is about to turn 30 years old
Some Jets fans question handing out a big contract to a left tackle who will be 30 years old this season, but league insiders disagree. Fant is described as a “young 30-year-old” since he really hasn’t played that much football the past eight years.
He was a basketball player at Western Kentucky until his senior year and doesn’t have much wear and tear on his body. Factor in that Fant is a terrific athlete and plays a position that generally has longevity in the NFL, and one understands why the Jets want to get an extension done.
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As the league transitions into free agency, there will be plenty of news and rumors from around the NFL in regard to your favorite team. That includes chatter about players who will be on the move (or not) in free agency. Stay updated and keep track of Pro Football Network’s Top 50 Free Agent Rankings to better understand the free agent market.