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The New York Jets aren’t quite satisfied with where their roster is at a few weeks ahead of training camp.
Connor Hughes of The Athletic shared that the Jets “remain in contact” with free agent linebacker Kwon Alexander.
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Would Fill a Massive Need
Head coach Robert Saleh has been sniffing around the linebacker market over the last year and a half.
In 2021 Gang Green kicked the tires on a former first-rounder in Reuben Foster last September with a workout. Then most recently they brought in Alexander who also has clear ties to Saleh from their time together in San Francisco.
The 27-year-old (will be 28 by the start of the 2022 season) first joined the 49ers during the 2019 free agency period.
For a brief moment in history, Alexander held the crown as the highest-paid linebacker in all of football. The former LSU product signed a four-year deal worth $54 million and reset the linebacker market with a $13.5 million per year average.
That figure topped then Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly who previously held the title with a $12.36 million per year average.
Although the good times didn’t last as Alexander has battled a variety of injuries throughout his career and has been unable to stay healthy.
He has only played in 78 out of 113 possible games during his seven-year career in the NFL.
Although when he has been on the field, Alexander has shown flashes of star ability. The talented linebacker earned his only Pro Bowl nomination back in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- 97 total tackles
- 70 solo tackles
- Three interceptions
Much Needed Insurance
The Jets are very satisfied with their two starters in CJ Mosley and Quincy Williams.
Despite some outside noise about the positional group Gang Green views Mosley as “arguably” their best player and Williams has “Pro Bowl potential”, per Hughes.
Additionally, Hughes says the third linebacker in this 4-3 scheme “is seldom on the field” because “offenses deploy three-wide sets the majority of the time and defenses counter with their nickel package.”
Regardless of how good the Jets feel about the starting duo of Mosley and Williams, they lack depth behind those two.
If an injury was to befall either player the green and white would be in a really tough spot.
That’s why this potential Alexander addition is so critical to the defense.
Not only is he an experienced player (74 career starts) but he is intimately familiar with the scheme from his time in San Francisco (2019-20).
The other thing that Saleh highlighted during a recent interview is his capabilities as a leader in the locker room and why that would be a welcomed addition to the roster.
Despite all the tread on the tires, somehow Alexander is still only 27 years of age and would provide some necessary insurance at a minimum just in case an injury-hit the linebacking unit.
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