Getty Former Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs warming up ahead of an NFL game.
Some new information could change the New York Jets’ perspective on the available players left on the free-agent market.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini had previously said that the green and white planned on rolling with what they had at the safety position. However, the latest intel could create some new opportunities.
CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones revealed that the safety market in free agency has “gone quiet” with plenty of big names still available in June like “Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams.” Jones’ sources explained that people should “expect some of those eventual contracts to have lower base values with upside for more via incentives.”
A position market that has (again) gone quiet is safety. Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams are all free agents, among others. Sources expect some of those eventual contracts to have lower base values with upside for more via incentives.
Great News for the Jets as They Make a Championship Chase
Several big-name safeties are still free agents and aren’t getting the monster deals they sought. So according to Jones, they will eventually settle for contracts that are cheaper in value this offseason.
According to Over The Cap, the Jets only have $6.18 million in available cap space which ranks No. 30 in the NFL.
That doesn’t leave the Jets with much wiggle room heading into 2024. However, this new twist opens the door for the green and white to potentially get creative in adding more talent to the team.
The Jets have been the poster child this offseason for building contracts centered around incentives.
Gang Green built several contracts with that thought in mind this offseason including offensive tackle Tyron Smith, wide receiver Mike Williams, and even backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
If they play up to snuff, those players will be handsomely rewarded. If they don’t, the Jets are protected from owing players too much money.
The other perk of building incentives into contracts is pushing that money into the future. If any player achieves incentives from their performance in 2024, that money won’t come off the cap until the following year in this case 2025.
For a team that doesn’t have ample cap space like the Jets, that is good news. If Jones is right in his assessment, perhaps the Jets will be able to add another prominent piece to the defensive side of the ball ahead of training camp.
Jets Analyst Pushes Team to Make Another Splash
Interestingly enough, Jets analyst Brandyn Pokrass of Jets X-Factor revealed four current free agents who the team should target.
Two of the four names on his list came in at the safety position. He listed Simmons and Diggs as possible options for the team to consider.
“The safety position arguably has the best group of available free agents. One of the most notable options is former Lion and Seahawk Quandre Diggs. A veteran heading into his 10th year in the league, Diggs was one of the NFL’s most productive safeties in coverage at his peak. He had 23 interceptions from 2017-22, recording at least three each year,” Pokrass explained.
He added that Diggs wouldn’t be relied upon as a full-time starter but rather he would serve in a “rotational and situational” role.
However, if New York went after Simmons, he believes that would be a different conversation.
While Diggs is a depth target at safety, Justin Simmons is a player who would be added in a starting capacity. The 30-year-old safety was a second-team All-Pro in each of the past three seasons,” Pokrass wrote. “The price point is a legitimate topic of conversation, but in a vacuum, Simmons is a player that New York should absolutely look to target.”