Many, including myself, believe this offseason has been one of the craziest beginnings to the free agent signing period we have ever seen. Numerous big-name players were either cut by their teams or could not come to agreeable new deals, including ex-Cowboy star DeMarcus Ware and one-and-done Darrelle Revis from Tampa Bay. We saw Denver and New England decide that they were "all in" signing multiple veteran free agents that will benefit greatly short-term. Denver signed linebacker/defensive end Demarcus Ware, safety TJ Ward, and cornerback Aqib Talib. New England went out and nabbed elite cornerback Darrelle Revis to replace Talib's services, as well as signing another reliable cornerback in Brandon Browner. On the surface these signings may "wow" you, especially the signings of Denver, but they doom the team's salary cap situation just a short 2-3 years down the road. Take a look at the following graphics, as they show just how dominant the contracts of Ware, Ward, and Talib will be against the cap in the near future:
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The reason Denver would do this is because they are so close to getting to, and possibly winning a Super Bowl in the next 3 years. With an aging star at quarterback, in Peyton Manning, loading up in free agency for the short-term gain makes much sense for the team. The same applies to Tom Brady and his Patriots' squad, as well as other teams that are in "win-now" mode.
However, our beloved Jets are not in this "win-now" mode but rather a "win-soonish" mode to put a humorous spin on it. One word to signify the Jet's free agency plan would be PATIENCE. As hard as it is in a media market like New York, fans must remain patient. New York Jet's General Manager John Idzik has been strict, deliberate, and precise in free agency throughout his first 2 years as the team's GM including this offseason. This can be exemplified by the team being adamant to not sign Darrelle Revis upon his availability as a free agent, and also letting free agent tackle Austin Howard walk his way to Oakland. Idzik, known to be a future oriented GM not afraid to make tough decisions, was said to "draw a line in the sand" with regard to Howard's contract. Personally I am a huge fan of this approach from Idzik and his gang, and am a strong supporter of the "plan" the team's management has for the future.
The Jet's did show however they are willing to spend money going after numerous free agents, eventually signing the top wide receiver on the market in Eric Decker from Denver and Howard's replacement Breno Giacomini from the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Decker is a great start to bolster the receiving core and add weapons for quarterback Geno Smith. Although it is likely the Jets will sign another veteran receiver to compliment Decker, expect them to draft a receiver in the first-round of the draft as well. Also look for the Jets to try and make a strong push to sign ex-Bronco cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to play aside 2nd year player Dee Milliner. By not overpaying for free agents and giving "B" players "A" money, the Jets will be primed to make a run in the upcoming seasons as Geno matures and the offense and defense come together.
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| Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie |
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| Eric Decker |
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