Ranking the NY Jets' 3 rumored free agent targets

The NY Jets continue to scour the free-agent market as we approach the middle of June. Even after making numerous notable additions in free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft, it's clear that their work isn't done quite yet.

The team still has a few positions that they'd like to address, most notably linebacker, defensive tackle, and their offensive tackle depth. Just one look at the Jets' roster would suggest that those positions need some work, but don't take my word for it.

Take it from the Jets who have reportedly hosted three free agents on visits over the last two months. Those three players — Kwon Alexander, Larry Ogunjobi, and Riley Reiff — each play one of those positions of need.

The Jets have made it clear which positions on the roster they believe still need work. Each of Alexander, Ogunjobi, and Reiff would not only fill a need, but they'd also provide much-needed veteran experience at their respective positions.

Alexander is a former Pro Bowler who has battled injuries but is tailor-made for the Jets' defensive scheme. Ogunjobi is coming off a career year and nearly signed a hefty contract this offseason. Reiff is a well-traveled veteran lineman with experience playing both left and right tackle.

Each player makes sense for the Jets in their own way, but which of the three should the organization prioritize? Let's rank each of the three Jets' rumored free-agent targets in order of how appealing they are.

3. NY Jets target: Kwon Alexander, LB, NY Jets

It isn't hard to see why the Jets are interested in Kwon Alexander. In fact, their interest in him pre-dates the draft as the team reportedly brought him in for a visit back in April, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Jets remain interested in the former Pro Bowl linebacker as we approach mandatory minicamp. His experience with Jets head coach Robert Saleh is certainly a contributing factor.

A fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Alexander spent the first four years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning his first and so far only Pro Bowl nod in 2017. Unfortunately, injuries have prevented him from ever truly reaching his ceiling in the NFL.

Alexander was a big-money signing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2019, but the former LSU standout would play just 13 games in Santa Clara before he was shipped to the New Orleans Saints the following year.

Still, Saleh clearly liked what he saw from the speedy, uber-athletic Alexander. When healthy, Alexander is a perfect fit for what the Jets look for in their linebackers, but his injury concerns are why he remains a free agent in June.

Alexander has played more than 12 games in just one of his seven NFL seasons to this point, that coming all the way back in 2016. He's landed on the injured reserve four times in his career, all for different injuries.

He's torn his ACL, torn his Achilles, suffered season-ending elbow and pectoral injuries, and even battled hamstring issues early in his career.

The old saying that the best ability is availability rings true here. While Kwon Alexander would be an exciting addition to the Jets' defense, trusting him to stay healthy for even more than half a season just isn't wise at this stage.

2. NY Jets target: Larry Ogunjobi, DT, NY Jets

Back in March, the Chicago Bears reportedly signed Larry Ogunjobi to a massive three-year, $40.5 million contract that would have paid him over $13 million per season. That was until he failed his physical, promoting the deal to fall through.

Now, Ogunjobi remains unsigned in the middle of June with the Jets reportedly showing the most interest.

Ogunjobi first made a name for himself with the Cleveland Browns where he developed from an unpolished third-round pick out of Charlotte into a legitimate interior disruptor.

The New Jersey native tallied 5.5 sacks in consecutive seasons in 2018 and 2019, but it wasn't until he joined a stacked Cincinnati Bengals defensive line in 2021 that he put together the best year of his career, finishing with seven sacks in 16 games.

His production was notable, although advanced metrics sites like Pro Football Focus didn't rate him quite as highly. Ogunjobi finished with a very poor PFF grade of 47.5 which included a 34.7 run-defense grade that ranked 126th out of just 136 qualified interior linemen.

He isn't exactly the type of defensive tackle the Jets should be looking for as Ogunjobi does his best work as a penetrating three-technique, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't still be a worthwhile addition.

At worst, Ogunjobi is probably a step up from Sheldon Rankins and someone who could likely be had for a bargain at this stage of the offseason. At best, he could be the missing piece on that Jets' defensive line.

His less-than-stellar run-defending skills are why he doesn't rank first on this list, however.

1. NY Jets target: Riley Reiff, OT, NY Jets

If signed, Kwon Alexander and Larry Ogunjobi would both likely step in as day-one starters for the Jets. Yet, despite this, if the Jets can only sign one of their three rumored targets, they should go with Riley Reiff.

Reiff has been one of my top targets for the Jets since really the second week of free agency in March. Although he wouldn't come in as a starter, the Jets arguably need him more than any other potential free-agent signing.

The 33-year-old has been a starting tackle in the NFL for the last 10 years, notching 139 career starts with three different teams. He has ample starting experience at both left and right tackle, making him a perfect, high-end swing tackle.

It's not as if Reiff isn't still playing at a starting-caliber level either. The former Detroit Lions' first-round pick has finished with a PFF grade below 67.0 just once in his career (2017) and has never been ranked below 50th at his position in a season.

Reiff has spent the last decade serving as an average starting tackle in the NFL. You aren't going to find many (if any) better swing tackles than him, especially ones that are still available at this stage of the offseason.

The Jets are desperate for offensive tackle help at the moment with the likes of Conor McDermott, Chuma Edoga, and fourth-round rookie Max Mitchell competing for the top backup tackle job.

Given Mekhi Becton's injury history and the fact that George Fant is coming off offseason knee surgery, there is no more pressing need on the Jets' roster.

Riley Reiff is the perfect solution to the Jets' biggest problem. He should be priority No. 1 for the organization.