7 remaining free agents with prior NY Jets connections

2. NY Jets target: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OG

Jets general manager Joe Douglas pulled off one of the trades of the 2021 season when he acquired longtime starting guard, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, from the Kansas City Chiefs at the trade deadline for essentially nothing at all.

Duvernay-Tardif soon took over for the struggling Greg Van Roten and started seven games down the stretch. He was far from a star, but the former Super Bowl champion was a noticeable upgrade over his predecessor.

Right now, Duvernay-Tardif is focusing on his medical career and hasn't committed to playing football in 2022. But both sides have left the door open for a possible reunion in the future.

If Duvernay-Tardif decides he wants to play football this season, the Jets would be wise to welcome him back with open arms. At worst, he's a rock-solid backup guard in a league that's very thin on quality backup offensive linemen.

1. NY Jets target: Kwon Alexander, LB

This is the most obvious and likely target on this list. The Jets have been connected to free-agent linebacker Kwon Alexander since before the draft when they brought him in for a visit this past April.

We haven't heard much about the situation since, although numerous reports have indicated that the Jets are still interested in signing him for the right price. The clock is ticking, however.

Alexander spent time under Robert Saleh in San Francisco and is the exact archetype of a linebacker the Jets look for in their defensive scheme. The biggest concern with him is an extensive injury history.

When healthy, Alexander is a very good linebacker who could provide a major boost to the Jets' defense. It all comes down to weighing the good (his talent) with the bad (his medicals).