AFC East free agency roundup: How do rivals look?
New York Jets
Of the three teams competing with the Patriots in the AFC East, last year’s last-place squad might have done the most in free agency to try and bridge the chasm between the three little pigs and the big bad wolf.
Obviously discontented with a 4-12 finish, the New York Jets fired head coach Todd Bowles after four seasons in the Big Apple. The move was certainly warranted – the Jets finished dead last in the division in three of the four years he was in charge – but his replacement by Adam Gase raised more than a few eyebrows around town.
Gase, of course, had just been dismissed by the Dolphins after compiling a 23-25 record over three seasons in Miami. Considered a quarterback-whisperer, he will now be entrusted with mentoring Southern California product Sam Darnold in his second season with the Jets.
Darnold was predictably rocky in his rookie season, throwing for 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. His 48.4 QBR ranked 28th in the league, so clearly there’s room for massive improvement. To Darnold’s credit though, the 21-year-old made the most out of a bad situation, overcoming a lame duck coach, terrible receivers, and a virtually nonexistent running game to at least keep the Jets competitive in some of their games last year.
Help is decidedly on the way, though. Defensively, the Jets signed top free agent C.J. Mosley, the ex-Baltimore Ravens linebacker, to a massive five-year, $85 million deal. Mosley is expected to anchor the center of the Jets defense, with Leonard Williams disrupting at the line and Jahmal Adams patrolling the secondary.
The real damage done was on the New York offense. Former Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy signed a two-year, $7 million contract, and former Washington Redskins slot receiver Jamison Crowder inked a three-year deal worth $28.5 million. Crowder, in particular, figures to immediately slide in as the Jets’ No. 1 receiver atop the depth chart (alongside Robby Anderson).
And of course, who can forget the largest free agent signing of them all in New York? Disgruntled ex-Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell sat out the entire 2018 season so he could force his way into free agency and out of Pittsburgh. Whether or not his plan completely succeeded is very much a matter of debate, but what can’t be argued is that he got his wish ultimately in signing with another team.
Bell has stated he wants to be Darnold’s “security blanket” this upcoming season. If he can do just that – in addition to jumpstarting the Jets’ moribund run game – then this is a team that could see an impressive turnaround in a short amount of time.