The NFL is a copycat league and for the New York Jets to rise to the top, they may have to steal a page out of a rival’s playbook.
With so many holes to fill, one way to address some of those issues could be solved by staying inside the AFC East.
One insider believes a key enemy could turn into a great cog for the green and white machine in 2022.
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Swiping a Key Cog From a Rival
Connor Hughes of The Athletic recently shared in his mailbag that New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty is a player he likes a lot as a potential fit with the Jets.
He also added that he believes the safety position is “atop the Jets free agent wishlist” and name-dropped what will be two high-priced gems in Marcus Williams of the New Orleans Saints and Jessie Bates of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Although if the Jets want to be a bit more cost-effective, McCourty could be a solid starter and bridge player as the green and white develops a younger option on the bench.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will this Jets roster.
The green and white will have to divvy up their resources to get the most bang for their buck. It is still unclear how much this Jets coaching staff values the safety position, although that question will assuredly be answered this offseason.
With names like Williams and Bates possibly available in free agency and Kyle Hamilton out of Notre Dame available in the 2022 NFL draft, it should become pretty clear how important that position is to the green and white.
Adding a player like McCourty would work two-fold for the Jets. They would help fill a massive void on the roster and at the same time, it would hurt a division rival. That is what we call a win-win in the business.
A Storied History of Swapping Players
For Jets fans, their arch-rival is the Patriots, although it is unclear if New England feels the same way on the other side.
This “rivalry” has been far too one-sided to barely even register on the scale with the Pats winning 12 in a row and 20 of the last 22.
Although back in the glory days the rivalry was constantly fueled by significant players swapping sides seemingly on a yearly basis:
- Darrelle Revis
- Curtis Martin
- Vinny Testaverde
- Ty Law
- Shaun Ellis
- Damien Woody
While it has lacked that special sauce as of late, perhaps it is time to reignite things.
The former first-round pick has spent his entire 12 year NFL career with the Patriots and has made an incredible impact on the field and in the community.
Some of his amazing accolades include three Super Bowl championships, three All-Pro nominations, and has been one of the longtime team captains for the Pats.
During his prolific career in which he started as a cornerback and transitioned beautifully to the safety position, McCourty has always found a way to make plays:
- Has played every game over the last six seasons going 97-for-97
- 31 interceptions
- 102 pass deflections
- Over 900 combined tackles
This would be a phenomenal fit on the backend of the Jets defense and would be a cost-effective solution to a big-time problem.
While Devin isn’t a spring chicken at 34 years of age (will be 35 by the start of the 2022 season), his resume speaks for itself. Despite his age, McCourty has continued to be a reliable cog that is more often than not in the right place at the right time.
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AFC East Rival Free Agent Defender Called Option for Jets