Getty An angry New York Jets fan reacting in the middle of an NFL game.
New York Jets fans didn’t waste time showing their displeasure for a move the team decided not to make.
On Sunday, March 19 NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero shared that the Detroit Lions signed defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to a deal in free agency.
It was a one-year contract that has a maximum value of $8 million.
The #Lions are signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $8 million deal with $6.5M fully guaranteed signing, per sources.
His agent, Kevin Conner of @UniSportsMgmt, confirmed the deal, which reunites Gardner-Johnson, Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn.
The Jets Zone responded on Twitter saying, “what the f***? That is all he went for? The Jets should’ve totally been in on this!”
@TomPelissero @UniSportsMgmt What the f***?! That is all he went for? The #Jets totally should’ve been in on this!
Jets Social Media Strongly Reacts to Missing out on CGJ in Free Agency
Jets analyst Joe Caporoso just said, “shakes fist at sky” in response to the surprisingly low contract value.
Another fan bluntly said that general manager Joe Douglas’ approach to free agency “has honestly never made sense to me.” He went on to say what every Jets fan seems to be thinking, why wouldn’t you sign a young player that can take the ball away at a position of need?
Another fan complained about Douglas’ sense of complacency in free agency, “so aggravating.”
@JCaporoso Joe D is content, so aggravating
Jets content creator Gunny Gumby of NY Jets Situation Report joined me on my podcast and shared his displeasure with the Jets not being involved.
“For peanuts? I was like what? Peanuts? I expected him to get a lot more money which is why I thought we’d be out of the conversation. I was really hoping he’d be someone we bring into the building and have a conversation with. To me, I’m upset about it I won’t lie and I think he would’ve been a difference-maker on the backend of the defense. A ball-hawking safety, I mean what else can you ask for? So for me that hurt I really wanted to see him in Gang Green.”
Insiders Knew This Jets Signing Wasn’t Happening
Jets fans might not be happy that the team didn’t aggressively pursue a 25-year-old safety that led the league in interceptions last season, but the insiders that cover the team aren’t surprised.
Connor Hughes of SNY said the Jets “will never” be one of those teams in the NFL that invests a ton of assets into the safety position. He simply said, “it’s not a priority, high-value position.”
Hughes also provided another interesting note on social media saying the Jets “like their safety room” which seems to contradict the overall feeling of the fan base this offseason.
He wouldn’t rule out the team considering adding a safety prospect in the 2023 NFL draft because that would give them flexibility and “team control” for the next four seasons at a cheap rate.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Atheltic sang a similar tune on The Can’t-Wait Podcast.
The safety position isn’t a priority for this team and they will invest those resources into some other positions on the roster.
Gang Green did execute a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for Chuck Clark. He is projected to have one of the starting positions on the back end of the defense.
Fans are split on Jordan Whitehead. Half of them want him cut so the team can use those savings on an improvement on the open market. The other half believes he can still do something special in 2023.
With options dwindling in free agency, the team may be best served to hold on to Whitehead and pursue another option during April’s draft.