Getty New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas meeting with the media at the NFL Combine.
The New York Jets aren’t quite finished with their spending on the open market.
One of their pending free agents is still hanging in the wind, but it might not be for much longer.
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A Reunion That Both Sides Want
It has been over two months since the 2021 season ended for the Jets. The front office and coaching staff feel the same way then that they do now, they want to bring Laurent Duvernay-Tardif back into the fold.
Back in late February during a conference call with Jets’ season ticket holders head coach Robert Saleh said they’d “love to have him back.”
During the media portion of the buildup to the Super Bowl, LDT was making his rounds and said that he has “set himself up” to stay a member of the Jets this offseason.
The only thing that has changed between then and now is the addition of Laken Tomlinson via free agency. With that move, both guard spots are now accounted for heading into 2022 with Alijah Vera-Tucker manning the other side.
Despite no starting gig being available, the Jets would like to bring LDT back to the fold as their top reserve.
Duvernay-Tardif fits the type of free agent general manager Joe Douglas has been adding to the roster this offseason with his veteran experience, championship pedigree, and of course general love for adding offensive linemen.
From everything I’ve gathered both sides have a mutual interest in a reunion. With the 2022 NFL draft only weeks away, a potential signing could be delayed until May.
That’ll provide the Jets full flexibility if something unforeseen happens where they can acquire a younger/cheaper option on the offensive line. Either way, this will be something to watch and could fortify the guard depth heading into the summer with a proven and reliable piece.
One of the Sneakiest Best Trades of JD Regime
Douglas has won a bunch of trades during his time running the operation for the Jets. However his player-for-player swap last season may take the cake as the sneakiest best trade of his regime.
Sure there have been ones that have featured much higher draft compensation and more prominent players, but this one was so simple, yet so impressive.
Good offensive linemen are hard to find in general, whether that be in free agency or the draft. Trading for really good offensive linemen is even more difficult.
Yet somehow Douglas was able to flip a barely used backup tight end for a proven Super Bowl-winning starter in the trenches.
- Kansas City Chiefs received Daniel Brown
- Jets received LDT
#Chiefs trade RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to #Jets in exchange for TE Daniel Brown (via @goldmctNFL)
That was the entire trade. Brown had been a reserve tight end that had barely any meaningful statistics during his two and a half year run with the green and white.
Shortly after trading for the veteran tight end, the Chiefs cut him. While LDT quickly became the new starting right guard mid-season for the Jets.
If it wasn’t clear who won the trade with this information, Douglas decided to gloat just a bit further by signing Brown back to the Jets as a free agent.
Not only did he trade for a starting-caliber offensive lineman mid-season, but he got the player he traded away back on the roster a short time later. If that isn’t master GMing, I’m not sure what is.
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