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The New York Jets suffered an ungodly amount of injuries this year at a variety of positions that put them in some tough spots.
The key this offseason is to add star power and some key depth to protect them against the attrition of the NFL.
One analyst was very strong in his opinion of which free agent the Jets should chase over the next couple of months.
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The Best Pitch You’ll Ever Hear
NYJ Today (John Mastandrea), a Jets-inspired YouTube podcast show tweeted out who the green and white should pursue this offseason.
“If James Daniels [of the Chicago Bears] makes it to free agency, Joe Douglas should be very aggressive trying to sign him.”
He would then go on to list every reason why it would make sense: age (24), schematic fit, reliability, and pairing him up with another stud in Alijah Vera-Tucker.
The talented Bears offensive lineman originally entered the league as the No. 39 overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Fast forward a few years later and now the big man out of Iowa is set to hit the open market this spring.
Over the last four years, Daniels has played in 54 of 65 possible games. The only time during his career he missed any action was back in 2020 when he suffered a season-ending pec muscle tear.
The very next season he played in all 17 games, proving that he could bounce back from the freak injury of the past.
Versatility for Days Upon Days
All of the reasons NYJ Today listed are legit and make a lot of sense, although there is one factoid he didn’t name that would be the No. 1 reason why the Jets should chase him: versatility.
Back during his days at Iowa, Daniels had experience playing both guard and center.
If the Jets want to get the most bang for their buck in free agency, signing guys that have multiple feathers in their cap is a great place to start.
Daniels could fill the void at right guard or he could play center and kick Connor McGovern to right guard. The longtime veteran has prior experience at right guard from his days with the Denver Broncos.
There is nothing better in life than having options.
By adding Daniels, the Jets can do whatever the heck they want. If everyone is healthy you can play musical chairs and plug and play whoever, wherever. If injuries befall the offensive line, they won’t have to panic, they can simply tinker here and there to still trot out a competent offensive line.
According to Over The Cap projections, Daniels is expected to make over $6.3 million on a multi-year deal this offseason. That would place him 19th among the highest-paid guards in the NFL.
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