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Free-agent mission for Jets: Find a starting quarterback

With free agency approaching (March 9), we’re analyzing the biggest needs on the New York Jets’ roster, examining possible upgrades:

Position: Quarterback

2017 cap hits of top returnees:

Pending free agents: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith.

Key stat: Among the 39 quarterbacks with at least 125 pass attempts, Petty finished last in passer rating (60.0) and last in Total QBR (19.4). Fitzpatrick wasn’t much better — 35th and 32nd, respectively.

Money matters: This will come as a shock to no one, but the Jets have the lowest quarterback cap total in the league — $1.8 million. Actually, Fitzpatrick’s ghost is counting nearly three times more than Petty and Hackenberg. That’s because there’s a $5 million “dead” charge for Fitzpatrick.

Would veteran quarterback Tony Romo want to play for a rebuilding team? AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth

Big picture: Let’s be blunt: The quarterback situation hasn’t been this unsettled since early 2009 — the three-month window between Brett Favre’s departure and Mark Sanchez’s arrival in the draft. The big story this offseason will be Hackenberg, who didn’t see the field as a rookie. He’s a bigger question mark now than when he was picked in the second round. The organization hasn’t given up on him, but he needs to show marked improvement. It would be a major upset if Hackenberg or Petty emerges as the opening day starter.

Free-agent market watch: Kirk Cousins, Mike Glennon, Brian Hoyer, Josh McCown, Matt Schaub, Mark Sanchez, Case Keenum, EJ Manuel, Matt Barkley.

Also could become available: Tony Romo, Tyrod Taylor, Colin Kaepernick, Jay Cutler, AJ McCarron, Robert Griffin III.

The game plan: The Jets need to come out of this offseason with a starter. Ideally, they’d get him as a free agent, not a trade. This team needs to preserve its draft picks. Finding a match for John Morton’s offense (likely a form of the West Coast system) is important. Not counting Cousins, who probably won’t hit the open market, the best of the bunch is Romo. He probably will be released, but he’s not an ideal fit for the Jets. He’s too old (37 in April) and too risky because of durability issues. Bottom line: I can’t imagine Romo wanting to play for a rebuilding team.

Kaepernick is familiar with Morton from their days with the 49ers, but he’d bring a distraction the Jets don’t need. The Jets are expected to have interest in Glennon, but anything more than a one-year guarantee would be too risky for a player with his limited track record. See: Brock Osweiler. Taylor is a dynamic athlete who protects the ball, but he’s not natural in the pocket and doesn’t have the passing skill to thrive in a West Coast system, which is predicated on accuracy and timing. If the Jets settle for a low-cost, bridge quarterback, the answer could be Hoyer, who is serviceable when healthy.

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Atletico's Oblak back for Leverkusen trip

Agence France-Presse

1h ago

Sergio Perez / Reuters

Madrid – Atletico Madrid received a massive boost ahead of its Champions League last-16 first leg at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday as goalkeeper Jan Oblak was included in Diego Simeone’s squad for the trip to Germany.

The Slovenian international, who kept eight clean sheets in 13 Champions League games as Atletico reached the final last season, has been sidelined since December after having surgery on a dislocated shoulder.

“Oblak has received the medical all clear at the end of Sunday morning’s training session,” Atletico said in a statement.

“The Slovenian has been able to fully train with the rest of the group since Wednesday.”

Oblak’s return is a timely boost with Atletico’s defence depleted by injuries to centre-back Diego Godin and right-back Juanfran.

NFL

Darrelle Revis is no longer worth the trouble for the Jets

Darrelle Revis knows he stank in 2016, but he went into the offseason hoping to convince his bosses he still could be an asset to the New York Jets. He was planning to train harder than ever, take a pay cut and move to safety if that’s what they desired. Basically, he wanted to make it hard for them to cut him.

Now he has made it easy.

An ugly night last weekend in Pittsburgh, his hometown, has resulted in four felonies and a misdemeanor charged against the Jets’ fading star, including two assault-related charges. It’ll be up to the courts to determine what happened at 2:30 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of East Carson and South 23rd in the South Side section of Pittsburgh, but this much we know:

One of the greatest players in Jets history, a probable Hall of Famer, is in big-time trouble. He appears to have been involved in a street fight — to what degree is unclear — tainting his legacy and embarrassing his team. If the Jets still are mulling Revis’ football fate, this may have sealed the deal. This might sound like heresy, but the once-great Revis isn’t worth the trouble anymore.

The Jets will have to make a decision on Darrelle Revis by March 10. Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports

Before this, you could have made an argument that Revis deserved the benefit of the doubt because of who he is and what he has accomplished in his career. No, he’s not a $15 million cornerback, the amount he’s due to earn in the coming season, but maybe you could have kept him around at a reduced salary. He could have been the elder statesman, helping the franchise as it enters a rebuilding phase. Sure, his man-to-man skills have declined, but he’s always been a solid man off the field, never in trouble with the law.

That scenario — a Revis farewell tour, 2017 — now seems far-fetched.

A decision on Revis’ future is fast approaching. The Jets owe him a $2 million bonus if he’s on the roster the second day of the league year, March 10, so they have to act before then. Revis, who has always seen the Jets as an ATM machine, will have to take a massive pay cut to stick around — if he gets that option. The Jets could decide to simply cut bait, clearing $9.3 million in much-needed cap room.

It won’t be easy to swallow because they owe him $6 million, the fully guaranteed portion of his base salary. No owner, no matter how rich, likes doling out that kind of cash to a fired employee. Is there a chance the Jets could get the $6 million voided because of this incident? In theory, they could try to take that approach, but it would be a long process, complicated by the March 10 deadline.

If it happened, it would be a financial break for the Jets. Imagine: They’d be able to dump a diminished player, save $6 million in actual cash and get a cap credit. But don’t get your hopes up.

The money is only one subplot to this story, which will have twists and turns. If they keep him, it would be a yearlong distraction for the Jets, and they certainly don’t need that, not with coach Todd Bowles heading into a must-win season. Roger Goodell and his disciplinary police will have their say, too, as Revis is subject to a suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

These allegations against Revis are troubling and, in a way, sad. Since returning to the Jets with a five-year, $70 million contract in 2015, only a few weeks after celebrating a Super Bowl championship with the New England Patriots, his career has been stuck in a downward spiral, some of it self-inflicted.

On the field, he showed signs of slippage in 2015. Then came offseason wrist surgery. Then came the acrimonious split with his longtime agents, followed by a lawsuit against them. He showed up to training camp out of shape. Then came his awful performance in 2016, exacerbated by curious and dumb comments.

Revis admitted his body was breaking down, which sounded like he was making excuses. Asked in December about his future with the team, he said, “My thing would be this: Do the New York Jets want to treat my situation with class or no class?”

If these criminal charges stick, Revis forfeits his right to classy treatment.

Once upon a time, the only criticism of Revis was that he was greedy. That seems tame after what has unfolded.

NFL

Who goes, who stays: Prioritizing Jets' thin free-agent class

The New York Jets have 11 players eligible for unrestricted free agency on March 9. It’s not a star-studded group. In fact, they combined for only 37 starts last season. Nevertheless, the Jets are trying to re-sign a handful of them.

How I’d rank them in order of importance:

1. LT Ben Ijalana: The Jets are interested in re-signing Ijalana, who replaced the departed Ryan Clady midway through last season. Ijalana (13 starts) made only $840,000 last season on a one-year contract; it’ll cost the Jets more this time because he will draw interest from other teams. The Jets have to come out of free agency with a left tackle because they don’t have one on the roster.

2. OLB Josh Martin: He was a bright spot on an otherwise moribund special-teams unit. Martin led the unit in tackles, drawing praise from a certain hoodie-wearing coach in New England. The Jets are trying to get a deal done. Martin may opt to test the market because he wants an opportunity to play linebacker.

3. OLB Mike Catapano: There’s interest in re-signing the versatile Catapano (four starts), who can play multiple spots in the front seven and special teams.

4. LS Tanner Purdum: Has there been a more consistent player than Purdum over the past few years? Thing is, he’s 32 years old and coming off a two-year deal that averaged $905,000 per year. The Jets may try to pinch pennies. They recently signed two unproven long-snappers, an indication they may let Purdum test the market.

5. OLB Bruce Carter: The former starter is a solid depth player, and depth at inside linebacker could be an issue. Nevertheless, there’s no urgency to get something done. He’s looking at a veterans-minimum contract.

While not ideal, the Jets could always bring back Geno Smith on a one-year, prove-it deal provided his surgically repaired knee checks out. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

6. QB Geno Smith: If the Jets strike out in the free-agent market, they could try to re-sign Smith on a one-year, prove-it deal, assuming his surgically repaired knee checks out. It’s not the ideal situation. The Jets need a fresh start and so does Smith, who probably wants a change of scenery.

7. LT Ryan Clady: The Jets didn’t exercise their option, making him a free agent. He could be a post-draft fallback option if they can’t secure a replacement.

8. S Antonio Allen: He hasn’t found a niche on defense, only special teams. Allen could be a post-draft possibility.

9. TE Kellen Davis: If the Jets switch to a West Coast offense, the profile for tight ends will change. The emphasis will be on pass-catching, not blocking, Davis’ forte. His return is unlikely.

10. OLB Corey Lemonier: He had a cup of coffee last season, arriving in time for Week 17. Hey, the Jets are 1-0 with Lemonier.

11. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: It was fun for a year. The second year, not so much. It’s probably best for both sides to move on.

In addition, the Jets will have three restricted free agents:

1. C Wes Johnson: He started eight games for the injured Nick Mangold, who could become a cap casualty. To retain Johnson with the low-level tender, it’ll cost at least $1.67 million (last year’s amount), giving the Jets the right of first refusal. Look for that to happen.

2. CB Marcus Williams: He was exposed a bit last year after a promising 2015, but he’s worth keeping around as a fourth corner. He could get the low tender.

3. TE Brandon Bostick: The low tender probably is too steep, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he re-ups on a lesser deal before free agency.

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