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The New York Jets will have to look elsewhere for some offensive tackle help this offseason.
Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed that veteran Riley Reiff has signed a one-year deal to join the Chicago Bears.
Reiff’s contract can be worth as much as $12.5 million, but Schefter said $10 million is “likely to be earned.”
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So Long Pal
The Jets hosted Reiff for a visit back on June 9 to the team facilities.
He is 33 years of age and is set to join his fourth different NFL team since joining the league back in 2012.
The former first-rounder has logged over 147 games and 139 starts in his 10-year career.
Reiff has never been considered one of the best tackles in the game, but he has been a steadying presence who has delivered just rock-solid average play.
The Jets were kicking the tires on him based on his experience and incredible versatility. He has played on both the left and right side and that is a highly attractive quality.
However one of the reasons it seems the Jets passed on Reiff was the particular financials.
Reiff is set to make somewhere in the ballpark of $10 plus million for the 2022 season. That is a tad richer than the green and white were willing to spend on a veteran swing tackle.
The Jet Press pointed out that if Reiff’s cap hit is what it appears to be he would become the fifth highest cap hit among right tackles in the NFL. For a player that has never been considered in that elite category among right tackles, that seems like an obscene number to pay.
That statement would be true if it was regular free agency back in March, let alone on the eve of training camp for most teams.
Running out of Viable Options
With Reiff off the board, the options at offensive tackle are dwindling at a rapid pace.
Duane Brown is the best available on the market but he was just involved in some off-the-field issues that you’d have to be comfortable with before signing him.
Beyond that there just isn’t much out there on the open market.
So the Jets better be confident in their depth because if one of either Mekhi Becton or George Fant goes down the team could be in a world danger.
The only rational explanation at this point is the Jets coaching staff believes in the younger guys and mid-tier talent on the roster. If that wasn’t the case the green and white would’ve been a lot more motivated to add a body ahead of training camp.
That is a huge vote of confidence for this group and one that general manager Joe Douglas will either be praised or ridiculed for depending on how things play out.
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