5 NY Jets free agent targets that weren't franchise tagged

3. NY Jets target: Tyrann Mathieu, S

The Jets are almost guaranteed to be heavily involved in the safety market in free agency with the team realistically looking for two new starters at the position.

Marcus Maye is likely a goner, and the same is true for Lamarcus Joyner who played only a handful of snaps with the team in 2021. Meanwhile, the likes of Ashtyn Davis, Elijah Riley, and Jason Pinnock don't instill much confidence as starters.

If the Jets want to make a splash at the position, one player who should be high on their list is Tyrann Mathieu.

Mathieu is another free agent on the older side as he'll turn 30-years-old in May, but much like Jones, he's still playing at a very high level. The LSU product has been named first-team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl in two of the last three seasons.

He's a versatile, do-it-all defensive playmaker with excellent ball skills and an attitude that can transform an entire defense. When you boil it down, Mathieu is exactly the type of player the Jets need on their defense.

He creates turnovers with 13 interceptions over the last three years and is everything coaches look for from a personality standpoint. Simply put, he's a winner, and he carries a winner's mentality.

Of course, convincing Mathieu to sign with the Jets might be a challenge, but that doesn't mean the team shouldn't try.