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It’s understandable that one might surmise this, but I’m not totally buying it . . .
ESPN’s Rich Cimini theorized that since Joe Douglas didn’t go on a spending spree this year, he might be setting himself to go on one next year.
“It creates an intriguing situation in 2021,” Cimini wrote for ESPN.com. “They have only $121 million committed to the ’21 cap, which gives them $81 million in projected cap space, per overthecap.com. The cap will get a nice bump once the NFL negotiates its new TV contracts. You also have to think running back Le’Veon Bell won’t be around, which would add another $11.5 million in the kitty.
“The Jets will have plenty of room to re-sign star safety Jamal Adams (if he still doesn’t have a long-term extension) and perhaps do something with quarterback Sam Darnold, who will be eligible for a new deal in 2021. There aren’t many huge contracts looming on the Jets’ horizon — safety Marcus Maye is their only prominent free agent in ’21 — so Douglas will have the ability to be a big player in free agency if he decides to go that route.
“Of course, the fan base has heard this before: Wait ’til next year. Previous GMs have tried this method only to botch the execution, so it’s OK to be skeptical. For now, Douglas is the proverbial next man up.”
My gut is Douglas is never going to be a wild spender, like two of the last Jets three GM’s. John Idzik wasn’t a wild spender. Douglas is likely always going to look to spread the money out and sign tight deals.
Look, sometimes you have no choice. I get that. For instance, if Sam Darnold turns into a blue-chip franchise QB this year, the Jets might have to give him a monster contract in 2021 or ’22. At at that position, if you feel you have “the guy” you have to give him megabucks. But while Darnold has shown flashes in his first two seasons, he’s not at the point yet where it’s a slam dunk the Jets give him one of those $35-40 million-a-year kind of QB deals. But if he takes the next step this year, and maybe next, they will have no choice.
As for Adams, this is a very tricky contract, Safety contracts can be very risky due to the nature of the position, Brutal position physically, and it can lead to shorter careers than other spots. Look what happened with Eric Berry in Kansas City after they broke the bank on him. He could not stay healthy. Same thing happened in Seattle with Kam Chancellor.
If Douglas is willing to pay Adams this year, what should the deal look like?. That’s simple. It should be similar to the deal Eddie Jackson got from the Chicago Bears. Four years, $58 million with $33 million guaranteed. Some might say – Jackson is better than Adams. Actually he’s not. Jackson is really good. So to me, that’s the Adams deal, but not sure he would take that. And you have to wonder about that Adams-Douglas relationship. Adams made Douglas look bad when the Dallas trade rumors occurred last year before the trade deadline, perhaps overreacting. And Adams also has a tendency to act like he’s the GM on social media and during interviews – suggesting who the team should sign. That can bother same GM’s who might feel the player needs to stay in his lane.
But in general, I just don’t see Douglas ever spending like a drunken sailor, giving out reckless deals like the second Darrelle Revis contract, and the Trumaine Johnson, Le’Veon Bell and C.J, Mosley deals. I don’t think the dude rolls that way. He’s also not going to cave to agents, like some past Jets GM’s did.
March 31, 2020
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