This contract will lead to a lot of late nights

New Jersey – Of all the free agent contract Mike Maccagnan (and Jackie Davidson) need to workout, this one might be the most difficult. A lot of late nights and a lot of caffeine will be needed.

Here is Part Wwo of our series looking at the Jets’ free agents. We start with the contract that might be the most difficult to work out – Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB

While it’s a no-brainer to bring him back, it’s a mystery what the right price is.

No question Fitzpatrick had his best NFL season in 2015, but that is one of the concerns. It was by far his best season. There was a lot of mediocrity before this, a lot of turnovers. And one of the biggest mistakes you can make in sports is overpaying based on one standout season. It’s a bad sport business practice. What if 2015 was an outlier?

Also, where is the money going to come from? The Jets don’t have a great cap situation this year after overdoing it a little last off-season.

As I mentioned in the latest issue of Jets Confidential Magazine, this comes as an unexpected cost for the Jets. So often teams have cap plans for a few years at a time, looking at what contracts are coming up on the horizon, and planning their spending accordingly. The Jets traded for Fitzpatrick as insurance for Geno Smith. Fitz emerged as a starter, and went out and had a breakout season with 31 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. If the Jets knew they were going to have to pay decent money for their starting quarterback in 2016, perhaps they would have cut back on their wild spending spree on defensive backs last off-season.

Yes, Fitzpatrick should be re-signed, but at what cost, and which players will have to go, or not get re-signed for it to happen.

And as I wrote in the recent issue, in a weird twist of fate, Fitzpatrick’s three interception performance in Buffalo, will help keep the price down. I’m not saying that Jets fans enjoy that fact, but I’m just talking from a financial standpoint.

This is going to be a tough one for Mr. Coffee.

Erin Henderson, LB

He should absolutely be back, especially since DeMario Davis is likely a long-shot to return. And actually, Henderson might be a little better than Davis.

This deal should not be very expensive. Henderson has had some well-documented off-the-field issues. On a human level, hopefully he has them under control. But the fact that he has a track record, and is going to 30 next season, he isn’t going to make him a hot commodity on the open market.

As long as he has his act together, I think he’s back.

This guy is a really good football player. He does a nice job of wading through the trash to make tackles.

Ben Ijalana, OT

If I’m another team looking for a backup swing tackle, or a player who is athletic enough to start at left tackle, I’d sign this guy. I think he’s underrated.

I know the Jets have Brent Qvale, but I think he’s purely a right tackle or guard. I don’t think he’s athletic enough to play left tackle.

Ijalana is more athletic, and has quicker feet, than Qvale.

So many teams are screwed when they lose their starting left tackle. Just ask the Denver Broncos. So many backup swing tackles are better on the right side, than the more difficult left side. Ijalana can legitimately play left tackle.

I’d try to bring him back, unless some other team blows him away. Who know what the future holds from D’Bricksashaw Ferguson and Breno Giacomini?

January 21, 2016

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