Jets Listed as ‘Best Team Fit’ for Projected $50 Million Starter

Getty Washington Commanders defensive back Kamren Curl reacting after an NFL game.

There has been a lot of chatter about the New York Jets making a splash on the offensive side of the ball, but it could come on defense.

ESPN’s Matt Bowen listed the green and white as the “best team fit” for Washington Commanders safety Kamren Curl.

“Curl is a highly instinctive safety who can roll into the front or drive top-down from split-field alignments — traits that work well in Robert Saleh’s system,” Bowen wrote in a February 20 story on “best team fits” for the NFL top’s 50 free agents. “While I would like to see Curl create more on-the-ball production — he hasn’t had an interception for the Commanders since grabbing three in his 2020 rookie season — he’s a solid pro who could produce in the Jets’ defined coverages.”

Curl is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus projects that Curl will sign a four-year $50 million contract. That $12.5 average would rank No. 11 among the highest-paid safeties in the NFL, per Over The Cap.

Jets Have a Ton of Decisions to Make at the Safety Position

The green and white have three safeties on the roster that are all scheduled to hit the open market: Ashtyn Davis, Jordan Whitehead, and Chuck Clark.

Gang Green only has two other safeties currently under contract for 2024: Tony Adams and Jarrick Bernard-Converse.

The Jets will have to do something at the position but a Curl addition would be eyebrow-raising. He is expected to get the bag on the open market.

“Curl has quietly been one of the more underrated players in the NFL over the past several seasons, with his status as a seventh-rounder,” Spielberger explained. “Curl can line up anywhere and is as consistent as safeties come on a down-to-down basis, possessing good instincts and a clear understanding of how to manipulate leverage and angles in the open field.”

The former Arkansas product has appeared in 60 out of 67 possible games during his four-year career to date. During that period, he has registered 14 pass deflections, five sacks, three interceptions, and has racked up 385 total tackles.

The Jets have a need and Curl would be a very interesting addition. However, with all of the pressure from ownership, it sounds like the team’s resources will be sent to the offensive side of the ball.

Jets Could Be Losing Another Offensive Coach

Jake Ellenbogen shared on X previously Twitter that Jets quarterback coach Rob Calabrese “is expected to join” the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coaching staff.

Calabrese at the time of publication is still listed on the Jets team website as an employee. The Jets did remove the names of Zach Azzanni and Taylor Embree. They had previously served as the wide receivers and running backs coach respectively.

However, they have not made the hiring of Tony Dews or Shawn Jefferson official. Both have reportedly been hired by the Jets as replacements for Azzanni and Embree.

If Calabrese departs this offseason he would be the third Jets offensive coach to do so. New York hasn’t made groundbreaking changes to its staff, but they have moved a few lower-level guys around.