Getty Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver Tyler Boyd speaking during a media session.
The New York Jets could add a name that is completely off of the radar in free agency.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated answered my question in his mailbag about potential Gang Green targets to watch out for.
He said he could see Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd “being added to the mix” by New York on the open market.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report said Boyd is the “top value” at the wide receiver position in free agency among the available options.
“There aren’t many wideouts [on] the right side of 30 who become available in free agency who possess 1,000-yard upside and will likely sign for less than $10 million a season,” Davenport explained.
Boyd Could Become a Solid No. 3 WR for Jets and Occasional No. 2
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus projects Boyd to sign a two-year deal for $16.5 million total with $10 million of that guaranteed. That $8.25 million per year average would rank No. 25 among the highest-paid wideouts in football, per Over The Cap.
This wouldn’t be a sexy addition that ends up as the top headline on ESPN however it would be an incredibly effective one.
Boyd, 29, has spent the entirety of his eight-year career to date with the Bengals. This offseason it appears the former Pitt product is headed for greener pastures.
Outside of an injury-plagued 2017 season, Boyd has put up at least 603 receiving yards and 54 receptions in every year of his NFL career.
For the majority of his time in the league, he has served as second or third fiddle on the Bengals offense. He has suited up with the likes of AJ Green, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins which has limited his upside.
Insider Predicts Jets Fans Will Be Angry During Free Agency
Brian Costello of the New York Post joined me on “The Boy Green Show” and delivered a blunt prediction.
“I’ll give you one prediction, you guys are all going to be pissed off on the first day of free agency that they aren’t doing enough. I do not think they’re going to come out guns blazing when the tampering period starts,” Costello told me. “You guys will be losing your minds seeing other teams do stuff. If you really look at it where they’ve hit in free agency is that kind of second wave.”
While that may sound like bad news on the surface, it actually isn’t. Coz explained that the Jets have had much better success after the initial first wave of free agency.
He pointed out the success of guys like DJ Reed and Tyler Conklin as second and third-tier examples. Boyd would certainly place himself into that category.
“Boyd is a big slot receiver with solid blocking chops in the run game. He rarely ever drops a target and does well to sit down in soft spots of zones on key passing downs,” Spielberger explained.
Even if the Jets sign Boyd they will need more help at wideout. That could come via free agency, the trade market, or even the 2024 NFL draft.