PALM BEACH, Fla. — Three weeks before the NFL Draft, the Jets still have several holes to address on the roster.
However, general manager Darren Mougey likes the position their roster is in ahead of next month’s NFL Draft.
“I feel like the roster is in a good position right now,” Mougey said. “We will continue to add good players, good depth to continue to improve the roster.”
The Jets have had an eventful month of March. They released Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams after Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey were hired as coach and general manager. C.J. Mosley, D.J. Reed, Morgan Moses, and Tyler Conklin, who were all locker room leaders, are also gone.
Gang Green’s first big free agent splash was signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. Now Fields will be tasked with leading a Jets offense that finished 24th in yards (310.3) and points per game (19.9).
Fields, 26, is not known for his accuracy, as he has completed 61.1% of his passes during his four seasons in the NFL. He can escape pressure and create plays using his legs.
During his 50 career games in the league, Fields has thrown for 7,780 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions.
“Justin is a young, talented quarterback with a unique athletic skill set that adds another dimension to the game that’s hard to defend,” Mougey said. “Then diving into the person, knowing him, his leadership, it was just a good fit.”
In 10 games (six starts) last season with the Steelers, Fields completed a career-high 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and only one interception. He also rushed for 289 yards and five touchdowns.
Mougey not only said Fields would be the Jets’ starting quarterback this season, but the team also thinks he could be the team’s long-term quarterback solution.
“We believe Justin is the starter and we believe in Justin,” Mougey said. “You saw it last year, he went 4-2 as a starter and had some of the best quarterback play of his career. We are going to do everything to support him when he gets here.”
“But Tyrod [Taylor] is going to be right on his heels. Tyrod is a pro’s pro. Really, it’s going to be a great asset for Justin in the quarterback room.
“Tyrod has been around the league for a long time, and he knows what it takes to prepare and prep for this league and be ready to play.”
Lazard could remain with the Jets
Ahead of free agency, the Jets granted Allen Lazard permission to seek a trade. According to Mougey, they would like Lazard to return, but would like him to restructure the four-year, $44 million contract he signed in 2023.
“That’s the hope,” Mougey said. “We will work through that, that’s fluid.”
Lazard played in 12 games in 2024 and only registered 37 catches for 530 yards and six touchdowns. This followed a year in which Lazard caught just 23 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown in 2023.
Lazard is still owed about $28 million on his deal and the Jets could save $6.6 million by releasing him. However, the team’s receiver room is thin after Garrett Wilson.
In addition to Wilson, the Jets’ top receivers are Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson, who both signed this offseason. They also have Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley, a 2024 third-round pick who played sparingly last season.
Doesn’t sound like extensions for Wilson and Gardner are coming anytime soon
After completing their third seasons in the NFL, both Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner are eligible for contract extensions for the first time in their careers.
At the NFL Combine last month, Mougey told reporters that extensions for both were on the “to-do list.” However, when asked about it on Sunday, Mougey admitted that it is not his top priority at the moment.
“In regards to extensions in general, look, there’s been a lot of talk about that,” Mougey said. “We have several players, whether it’s early extensions or players we can extend in the last year, and those are good problems to have.
“But when having those discussions, those are good discussions to have. But right now, my focus is on the draft. Once we get through the draft, we will talk about potential extensions for whoever that might be.”
Mougey didn’t say he wouldn’t consider extending Wilson and Gardner, but it could be a while before it happens. The Jets are expected to exercise their fifth-year option on both Wilson and Gardner before the May 1 deadline, which would keep them under contract through the 2026 season.
The Jets should probably extend both Wilson and Gardner as soon as possible because the cost of keeping top cornerbacks and wide receivers continues to rise. Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. agreed to a $90 million contract earlier this month to become the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is also the highest-paid player at his position after receiving a four-year, $161 million contract.
The Jets will likely get extensions for Wilson and Gardner done. It’s just a matter of when and how much it may cost them.
