The hidden benefit of the Josh Reynolds signing for the NY Jets

The New York Jets made an important addition to their wide receiver room on Thursday, signing veteran Josh Reynolds to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million. Reynolds gives the Jets much-needed depth at one of the team's most important positions of need.

The Jets were — and maybe still are — desperate for wide receiver help. The team's receiving corps outside of Garrett Wilson would rival some of the worst in the NFL, and that's including Allen Lazard, who remains a very feasible cut candidate.

Reynolds joins a wide receiver depth that features Wilson, Lazard, the newly-signed Tyler Johnson, Malachi Corley, and Xavier Gipson. The former Detroit Lions wideout isn't the most high-profile addition, but he does give the Jets reliable depth at the position.

There's another aspect to the Reynolds signing that has gone overlooked, though, and it relates to the organization's overall free-agency strategy this offseason.

The Josh Reynolds signing was a savvy move by the NY Jets for multiple reasons

The Jets have steered clear of big spending in free agency this offseason, with only two of their 14 external signings receiving multi-year contracts. The vast majority of additions have come on low-cost, one-year deals, reflecting a clear understanding of where the organization currently stands.

The Jets aren’t trying to win the Super Bowl in 2025 — that’s simply the reality of where they are as a franchise. The focus is on building a sustainable, long-term contender rather than going all-in for short-term success.

With that in mind, the Jets are very much looking ahead to the future with their free-agent plans this offseason. Reynolds is the first player over 30 years old (he turned 30 in February) that the Jets have signed in free agency.

Part of looking ahead to the future is managing future draft picks. The Jets are currently in line to receive two compensatory picks in the 2026 NFL Draft — a fourth-round pick courtesy of Haason Reddick and a seventh-round pick via Tyler Conklin.

NFL compensatory picks are awarded to teams that lose more or better qualifying free agents than they sign in a given offseason. The league uses a formula that considers salary, playing time, and awards to determine the value of the lost players.

Teams can receive up to four comp picks, which are added to the end of Rounds 3 through 7 in the following year’s draft. In the compensatory pick formula, free-agent signings can cancel out losses, meaning that if a team signs a qualifying free agent, it can offset the value of a player they lost, potentially eliminating a comp pick they would’ve received.

For example, the Justin Fields signing canceled out the fourth-round comp pick the Jets would have received for losing D.J. Reed. The Brandon Stephens signing nullified the Javon Kinlaw departure. Andre Cisco and Morgan Moses canceled each other out as well.

The catch with Reynolds is that he does not count toward the compensatory pick formula because he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this month. Only players who reach free agency after their contracts expire — not those who are cut — factor into the formula.

The Jets, of course, were aware of this, which likely factored into the decision to sign him, along with his ties to both head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey.

Had the Jets signed a different wide receiver for similar money, it could’ve canceled out their 2026 seventh-round compensatory pick and even put their projected fourth-round comp pick at risk if they made another compensatory free agent addition.

Every transaction is a cost-benefit analysis in the NFL. The Jets understood that adding a player like Reynolds offered depth and upside without jeopardizing future assets. That kind of small but calculated move is exactly what this team needs as it works to build sustainable success.

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