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With over 23 pending in-house free agents, it seems inevitable that the New York Jets are going to look a lot different next season.
One of those players that are expected to find a new home is safety Marcus Maye. After playing on the franchise tag in 2021 there were a lot of rifts created in the relationship which makes a reunion extremely unlikely.
Although the latest nugget of information could lead to quite a surprise this offseason.
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A Surprising Turn of Events
Rich Cimini of ESPN shared in his Sunday morning column that “there is interest out there right now” for Maye in free agency.
The 28-year-old (will be 29 by the start of the 2022 season) is coming off of a very serious Achilles injury he suffered during the Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Due to the injury and the timing of it, Maye isn’t expected to be back on a football field until late in the summer. That thought seemingly suggested that the veteran safety would likely have to wait a while to find a new deal.
However, Cimini added in his notebook, “don’t be surprised if he signs elsewhere before the draft.”
According to Spotrac’s market value, an estimation of what he could receive in free agency, Maye is expected to sign a one-year deal for $7.4 million. That would make him the eighth highest-paid free safety in the NFL.
This could be a perfect opportunity for Maye to reestablish his value and attempt to strike gold in next year’s free agency.
The only problem Maye will be facing is father time. With him set to turn 29 ahead of free agency in 2022, that means a year from now he will be hitting 30. It’s hard to imagine how many teams will be willing to hand him a multi-year contract at that age, regardless of how well he plays.
In five seasons the former Florida Gator has carved out a very nice career in the NFL:
- Six interceptions
- 24 pass deflections
- Over 312 total tackles
The Next Plan at the Safety Position
With Maye likely a goner, the Jets have some holes to fill in their secondary.
It still remains a strong possibility that the Jets could bring back veteran Lamarcus Joyner on a one-year deal. At a minimum he would provide some nice depth and depending on how the rest of the offseason shakes out, could even land a starting gig.
In 2021 he signed a one-year deal for $3 million, Joyner could very well sign that very same contract just a year later.
Joyner was projected to be a starter on the backend, but a torn triceps in the season opener drastically changed the Jets’ plans.
Other moves to watch ahead of free agency could include some big-name hunting.
While Jessie Bates of the Cincinnati Bengals is expected to land the franchise tag, Marcus Williams of the New Orleans Saints should at a minimum hit the open market.
Some other names to watch:
- Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City Chiefs
- Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks
- Keanu Neal, Dallas Cowboys
- Terrell Edmunds, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jabrill Peppers, New York Giants
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