One other huge receiver got here off the board on Monday, making the checklist shrink a bit of extra with every week to go earlier than NFL free company opens.
The Buccaneers and veteran Mike Evans agreed to a reported two-year, $52 million contract on Monday that can maintain him off the free-agent market.
He’s the newest huge receiver to be taken off the checklist and he may not be the final.
The Bengals used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins and the Colts are anticipated to put the tag on Michael Pittman Jr. earlier than Tuesday’s deadline if they’re unable to succeed in a long-term deal.
The place does this go away the Jets with the free-agent negotiating window opening at midday subsequent Monday?
It isn’t a super scenario for a crew that’s searching for a powerful complement to younger star Garrett Wilson.
If Pittman will get tagged, as anticipated, that would depart Calvin Ridley as the highest receiver anticipated to hit free company.
The Jaguars should not anticipated to re-sign Ridley earlier than free company opens as a result of in the event that they do the third-round decide they owe the Falcons from their commerce turns into a second-round decide.
It is sensible for Jacksonville to attend even when it opens the door for groups just like the Jets.
The query for the Jets is how excessive to go within the bidding for Ridley, who had 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns final season.
He is an effective receiver that has had off-field points and was suspended for the 2022 season for playing. However costs are exploding on the receiver market.
There was some shock Monday that Evans acquired $26 million per season. Pittman is predicted to get greater than $20 million per season as soon as a deal will get executed with the Colts.
Is it sensible for the Jets to take a position on the prime finish of the market or would it not be smarter for them to throw that cash on the offensive line and signal cheaper huge receivers or draft one within the third spherical?
After Ridley, there’s a drop-off available in the market. The subsequent group of receivers is Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Gabe Davis, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Boyd and Odell Beckham Jr.
These gamers must be within the $10 million-$15 million per 12 months vary, which can be extra palatable for the Jets.
Joe Douglas acquired stung within the huge receiver market final season when he overpaid for Allen Lazard.
He gave Lazard a four-year, $44 million contract and Lazard ended up catching 23 passes, only one for a landing and was inactive for 3 video games late within the season.
You surprise if that might be behind Douglas’ thoughts earlier than he wades too deep into the huge receiver market.
In case you are searching for connections, Brown performed for brand spanking new Jets huge receivers coach Shawn Jefferson in 2022 with the Cardinals. Jefferson’s opinion of Brown ought to strongly form the Jets’ strategy to him.
The Jets went after Beckham final April on the request of Aaron Rodgers.
They thought they had been going to signal him till the Ravens got here in with a $16 million provide that shocked the Jets. Might they revisit Beckham?
It’s unlikely that Rodgers’ opinion of Beckham has modified. However Beckham had a down season with the Ravens. He had 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
Douglas may select so as to add a less expensive possibility in free company after which attempt to land a No. 2 huge receiver within the draft. This 12 months’s receiver class is taken into account deep by draft consultants.
The Jets are anticipated to focus on a sort out with their first-round decide and at the moment do not need a second-rounder however may draft a receiver within the third spherical.
There’s additionally the potential of a shock commerce creating.
Davante Adams isn’t anticipated be moved by the Raiders after earlier hypothesis that he can be traded. However the huge receiver market will be robust to foretell. Nobody anticipated the Chiefs to commerce Tyreek Hill two years in the past till it occurred.
The huge receiver highway might be an fascinating one for Douglas to navigate over the approaching weeks and it certainly will function a lot extra twists and turns.
