5 free agents NY Jets were wise to avoid this offseason

The NY Jets have worked hard to correct the many mistakes they made last offseason. A year later, Jets general manager Joe Douglas has already put together a much savvier and smarter offseason than he did a year ago.

The Jets have managed to completely overhaul their offensive line with a series of high-value additions. They've supplemented their skill group with a high-profile wide receiver addition. They even added a competent backup quarterback to their roster.

Douglas has done an excellent job of plugging the Jets' roster holes and doing so with incredible value. Part of the Jets' success has been avoiding certain players as well.

From overpriced free agents to underperforming players with a connection to a certain quarterback, here are five free agents the Jets were wise to avoid this offseason.

5. The NY Jets were smart to avoid OG Jon Runyan

The Jets went into the offseason with a dire need to address their offensive line. The team needed to add three starters — a tall task for any front office, let alone one in a win-now window.

One player who seemed to make sense for the Jets was veteran guard Jon Runyan. Runyan had started 50 games over the last three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, and his ties to both Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett made him a logical target.

The only issue was that Runyan just wasn't very good. The former sixth-round pick finished with a lowly 56.5 Pro Football Focus grade in 2023 as one of the weakest links in Green Bay's offensive line.

While the New York Giants handed Runyan a hefty three-year, $30 million contract, the Jets wisely addressed their offensive line in better, more cost-efficient ways. Thankfully, the Rodgers connection didn't sway the Jets here.