NY Jets: Team should pursue Jimmy Graham

Should the NY Jets pursue tight end Jimmy Graham? If he for any reason slips into free agency this offseason, the Jets need to make a serious push to bring him to the city that never sleeps.

Graham, if used properly, can be one of the best tight ends in the NFL next to athletes such as Rob Gronkowski and Greg Olsen. Graham is coming off one of his least impressive seasons of his short career thus far. It all begun after a shocking trade that sent the once New Orleans Saint, to a high velocity Seattle Seahawks football team.

Pairing up Graham with Russell Wilson was a dream come true to most fans on the West Coast. Graham, Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Marshawn Lynch, and the famous “Legion of Boom?” Hard to not predict the Seahawks would be destined for immediate success once again. However, immediate success was not achieved by the back to back Super Bowl appearing Seahawks.

Instead, Graham was used mostly for blocking rather than his normal offensive routine back in New Orleans. Graham unfortunately tore his patellar tendon during the regular season and was placed on the injured reserve list.

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This particular scenario is definitely one that most Jet fans are extremely curious about.

The thought that Graham could be dressing in green and white in 2016 draws serious excitement to fans of Gang Green. However, despite the injury he sustained during the regular season, should the Jets pursue Graham if he becomes a free agent even though Chan Gailey doesn’t really include the tight end position in his offense?

My own personal feeling is yes, they should and this is why. There’s no hiding the fact that Gailey indeed does love his wide receivers but he never featured tight ends Jeff Cumberland or Kellen Davis in his offense this season, primarily because he never had a tight end worth featuring.

According to ESPN New York Radio, Jets’ general manager Mike Maccagnan said on the WFAN Radio that there will be some good tight ends available in the free agent market. Maccagnan never mentioned any players name in particular but did mention older players coming off injuries. There’s a plethora of veteran tight ends who could possibly become available to the Jets in Antonio Gates, 35, Gary Barnidge, 31, Benjamin Watson, 35, and them some younger ones such as Andrew Quarless, 28, Dwayne Allen, 26, and of course Graham.

Let’s not forget the Jets do have two tight ends returning this season in Zach Sudfeld and Jace Amaro. Neither one of these tight ends are starting caliber guys such as Gronk or Olsen though. So to answer the question, yes, I believe the Jets will address the tight end position in free agency.

Graham could possibly be on Maccagnans list of potential suitors if the price is right. With the right guy at tight end for the Jets, Gailey’s offense could sky-rocket and so could the production of guys such as Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback if re-signed. Graham wearing green and white in 2016 could provide him if he re-signs another vital red zone threat.

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I know the Jets don’t exactly have a ton of cap space to play with so acquiring Graham if he becomes a free agent will not be an easy task. There have been talks about players such as Calvin Pace, Antonio Cromartie and Jeremy Kerley not returning to the Jets next season. Also, by releasing those three and reconstructing contracts such as D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s, the Jets could free up enough cap to sign Graham or any other veteran tight end.

Will Graham be the newest member of the Jets in 2016? Or will Gotham stick with their youth and see what kind of production Amaro could provide the Jets with on offense? Only time will tell once the free agency frenzy officially begins sooner than we think.

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