NFL free agency update: Jadeveon Clowney, Logan Ryan and New York Jets lose a safety
The New York Jets continue to be active this week in free agency. They reached agreements with wide receiver Breshad Perriman from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a one-year deal and lost Robby Anderson to the Carolina Panthers. The team agreed to terms with linebackers Patrick Onwuasor and brought back Jordan Jenkins. Those are the headlines, here’s a look at this week’s notebook:
• On Friday evening, Brian Costello of the New York Post reported that the Jets and safety Marqui Christian failed to agree to terms. The safety had reportedly agreed to a $2 million deal at the start of free agency.
• The Jets were rumored to be interested in punter Sam Martin. The former Detroit Lion signed a three-year, $7.05 million deal with the Denver Broncos according to the NFL Network. Martin had one of his best seasons in 2019, averaging 45.3 yards per punt and 41.8 yards for his net average. The Jets are still in the market for a punter, after choosing not to re-sign Lachlan Edwards. Candidates include Ian Berryman, who signed a reserve/futures contract last season after he was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Matt Darr is an option, but the Jets are hoping there is better in the open market.
• This week, the aforementioned Anderson got into a war of words with WFAN host Boomer Esiason. On his morning on Wednesday, Esiason said that the Jets offered Anderson a four-year, $40 million contract. He went on to say that Robby took less money and fewer years to reunite with his college coach Matt Rhule when he signed a two-year deal with Carolina. Anderson refuted the claim on Twitter. He wrote (and later deleted the tweet), “False news y’all need to better jobs reporting and putting out fake news too ppl." Esiason stood by his claims.
• Jadaveon Clowney is a free agent. Still. After not receiving the franchise tag from Seattle, there have been all kinds of discussion around NFL circles centering around is asking price. According to multiple media reports, Clowney is looking for $21 million per year. That still doesn’t seem like the price Joe Douglas is interested in, especially given the player’s production dip last year with the Seattle Seahawks. Is Clowney at that level of impact that the Jets will pay top dollar? Especially given the amount of salary cap he’d tie up as the Jets continue to rebuild. Plus, as the days wear on, the price tag may go down, letting the Jets and plenty of other teams back into the mix.
• The Coronavirus pandemic is forcing many people (hopefully everyone reading this) to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing as well. Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was in Orange, CA for a quarterback retreat with Josh Allen and Kyle Allen, as well as throwing coach Jordan Palmer. With apartment leases running out, the three signal-callers are reportedly staying with each other. Kyle Allen was recently traded to Washington.
• Former Tennesee Titans cornerback Logan Ryan is still a free agent as well. The 29-year-old slot corner is reportedly looking for half the money than Clowney is (close to $10 million). The Minnesota Vikings as well as Detroit are also rumored to be interested in the slot corner. The Jets still have a need at cornerback and might be interested in the former Rutgers star. This is a situation that could get interesting if Ryan's asking price simmers down a bit.
• ESPN’s Mel Kiper said on both the radio and TV that because of Anderson’s departure, the Jets will look at wide receiver and not an offensive lineman as has been the rhetoric before the April 23rd NFL Draft. Kiper thinks the Jets could make a play for Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy or Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb. Despite the Jets free agent addition of Breshad Perriman, Kiper has apparently changed his stance with the loss of Anderson.
• The Coronavirus outbreak has taken its toll on so many people. Big corporations including many sports teams and leagues have made contributions to make sure employees are getting paid and helping where they can. The Jets were no different, announcing this week a $1 million joint donation to multiple local United Way agencies to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The contribution supports the United Way of New York City’s COVID-19 Community Fund, the United Way of Northern Jersey’s ALICE Recovery Fund and the United Way of Long Island’s United Together: A Response Fund for COVID-19. This pandemic has dominated the headlines, and hopefully, there will be better news and a better outlook by the next notebook ‘Jets Country’ puts together.
