5 bargain free agents the NY Jets could sign before 2023 NFL Draft

3. The NY Jets could sign LB Kwon Alexander

The Jets were able to sign former Pro Bowl linebacker Kwon Alexander to a dirt-cheap one-year, $1.27 million contract last summer with the hope that he could stay healthy and serve as one of the team's three starting linebackers.

Remarkably, that's pretty much what happened. Alexander went on to play in all 17 games, only the second time in his eight-year career that he had appeared in more than 12 games.

The Jets ended up getting excellent value out of the Alexander signing. The former fourth-round pick played 49 percent of defensive snaps, totaling 69 tackles, and finishing with a Pro Football Focus grade of 63.0 that ranked 36th among all qualified linebackers.

Alexander was a quality contributor in 2022, and at the moment, the Jets haven't done anything to replace him. They re-signed Quincy Williams and will return C.J. Mosley, but the Jets don't have a third starting linebacker on their roster at the moment.

They could opt to roll with the young players already on their roster. Jamien Sherwood is someone the Jets' coaching staff remains very high on, and Hamsah Nasirildeen could see an uptick in playing time.

The Jets could turn to the 2023 NFL Draft as well if they want to continue loading up on young linebackers. Their best bet, however, would probably be to explore re-signing Alexander.

Despite his quality season in 2022, Alexander remains a free agent, and it's hard to believe his market is heating up. The Jets could probably sign Alexander for relatively cheap again.

Given the team's obvious hole at the position, it's something they should absolutely consider.