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The New York Jets have taken care of most team needs ahead of the NFL Draft, but there are still a few holes to fill in the depth chart.
One minor need is a third linebacker that can start when defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich utilizes his 4-3 base formation. Ideally, that player would end up being veteran free agent Kwon Alexander — the LB who manned the position for head coach Robert Saleh in 2022.
According to The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, that could still be the plan, but any reunion probably wouldn’t happen until after the draft.
“The lack of movement on Alexander makes me wonder if he thought he’d have a bigger market that hasn’t quite materialized,” Rosenblatt replied after a fan asked for news on the experienced defender. “He wasn’t a priority for the Jets this offseason and they already have a lot of money invested in C.J. Mosley and, now, Quincy Williams. If Alexander is still unsigned after the NFL Draft and the Jets haven’t added any linebackers of note, maybe they bring Alexander back on a veteran salary benefit deal again.”
Jets Waiting Patiently on Kwon Alexander in Free Agency
It’s been a slow developing free agency market this spring for a number of positions. Linebacker is one of them.
Outside of Tremaine Edmunds and Bobby Okereke, no linebacker has signed for more than $10 million per year in 2022 according to Spotrac. The second tier — which included veterans like Bobby Wagner and Eric Kendricks — has signed for somewhere between $5 million and $7 million per year.
That was the sweet spot for Quincy Williams too, at three years $18 million ($6 million APY). The 27-year-old re-signed with the Jets earlier this free agency cycle.
It’s unlikely that the 29-year-old Alexander would make that much. Given his injury history throughout his career, the former fourth-round selection has settled for two straight one-year contracts with the New Orleans Saints and Jets. The first was worth $387,500 in guaranteed money but paid out $995,556. 2022 with Gang Green was worth $732,500 in guarantees, paying out $1.272 million and change.
Alexander has managed to earn over $32.7 million throughout his career according to Over the Cap, but he’d probably like to cash in with a solid chunk of guaranteed money one or two more times before he retires. If he’s unable to find a buyer though, Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas should be patiently waiting in New York.
Monitoring Kwon Alexander’s Social Media Activity
Alexander has been active on Twitter over the past couple of months. “Almost that time,” he teased on March 13 just before the start of free agency.
The linebacker hyped up Jets fans later on March 31 after he responded to a PFF question that asked followers to “name a player breaking out next season.”
“Kwon Alexander,” the Jets LB quote tweeted to the tune of 5,574 likes and nearly 200 retweets and quotes.
He also retweeted a “boomsticking” tackle from 2022, as well as a Jerick McKinnon tweet that read: “The disrespect is crazy.”
That last retweet could be telling. Like the veteran running back of the Kansas City Chiefs, Alexander might feel his current financial offers are “disrespectful.” If that’s the case, we could be waiting a while for a verdict as Rosenblatt suggested.
Alexander finished with 69 total tackles in 2022 — his most since his Pro Bowl season in 2017 — with six tackles for a loss, a half-sack, one forced fumble, one pass defense and two QB hits.
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