Predicting 9 NY Jets moves in free agency including big WR trade

The NY Jets are just hours away from the start of the legal tampering period and the unofficial start of free agency. It's a time of the offseason that always comes with great excitement, but it hasn't always been kind to the Jets.

From Trumaine Johnson to Le'Veon Bell to, most recently, Laken Tomlinson, the Jets have made quite a few mistakes in free agency over the years. They'll be hoping to turn their fortunes around in what promises to be a crucial offseason for the organization.

Those hoping to see general manager Joe Douglas spend big on many of the top names in free agency might be disappointed. Douglas has proven to be prudent and stingy with his spending in the past, and it doesn't seem like that's going to change this year.

Here is our best attempt at predicting the moves the Jets will make over the coming days.

9. The NY Jets re-sign Thomas Morstead and Greg Zuerlein

Let's start this off with a few internal re-signings first. The Jets are expected to retain both punter Thomas Morstead and kicker Greg Zuerlein in free agency following a pair of standout seasons from the stellar specialist duo.

Morstead technically can't be re-signed until the official start of the new league year on Wednesday because of a weird quirk in the NFL rule book, but he feels like a lock to return.

As for Zuerlein, his market could get a little pricier, and the Jets did sign kicker Austin Seibert to a reserve/futures contract, so they have a little leverage in the form of a younger insurance policy.

Still, the safe bet is to assume that both players are re-signed this week. Don't be surprised if fellow special-teams standout Justin Hardee, also a pending free agent, joins them.

8. The NY Jets re-sign Ashtyn Davis and Solomon Thomas

Sticking with the re-signings, the Jets seem likely to bring back a pair of rotational defensive pieces as well. Solomon Thomas, in particular, feels like a lock to be back in 2024.

Thomas is a highly respected leader in the Jets' locker room and a favorite of Robert Saleh. He's coming off a career-high five-sack season, although it's unlikely his market will be extensive. The Jets will almost definitely bring him back.

As for Ashtyn Davis, the former third-round pick proved to be not only a core special-teamer in 2023 but also carved out a role on defense as a third safety.

The Jets already re-signed Chuck Clark on Sunday, and with Davis and Jordan Whitehead set to be free agents, the former feels like the more likely of the two to return. It should be noted that special-teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who has some say in roster control, is a huge Davis supporter.

7. The NY Jets sign TE Marcedes Lewis

Not every signing the Jets make is going to be a high-profile one, but this one almost makes too much sense. Soon-to-be 40-year-old Marcedes Lewis is a free agent this offseason, and the Jets seem like a logical landing spot.

Lewis not only spent considerable time with Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett in Green Bay, but he also crossed paths with Robert Saleh and former position coach Ron Middleton in Jacksonville.

The 18-year NFL veteran may be the oldest natural tight end in NFL history, but he was genuinely still an effective player in 2023. Lewis graded out among the best run-blocking tight ends in football, playing 29 percent of offensive snaps for the Chicago Bears last season.

The Jets' tight-end room is a little crowded with Kenny Yeboah and Zack Kuntz behind Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert, but Lewis could be brought in to compete for a roster spot in training camp. Lewis would low-key be a rock-solid TE3 for the Jets.

6. The NY Jets sign QB Ryan Tannehill

The Jets are going to sign a veteran backup quarterback. Of all the moves Jets general manager Joe Douglas has telegraphed this offseason, this one is the most obvious. The only question is...who?

Will it be Jacoby Brissett? Will the Jets bring back an old friend in Sam Darnold? My money is on Ryan Tannehill.

Tannehill has obvious ties to a number of members of the Jets' offensive coaching staff, most notably passing game coordinator Todd Downing. His 2023 film is quite bad, but Tannehill remains a fine backup option.

Brissett is likely going to be out of their price range, and he'll almost definitely have better opportunities. Tannehill should have a smaller market, and the Jets might be his best landing spot. His connection to the coaching staff is a bonus.

5. The NY Jets sign OT David Bakhtiari

This feels inevitable, doesn't it? The Green Bay Packers have yet to officially part ways with longtime left tackle David Bakhtiari, but it's a move that's been expected for months now. Bakhtiari will be a free agent soon enough.

Once that happens, there is no team that makes more sense for the oft-injured All-Pro left tackle than the Jets. That doesn't mean it's the best move, but it sure feels likely.

Bakhtiari has appeared in one game in two of the last three seasons and hasn't played more than 12 games since 2019, but when healthy, he's still been one of the best left tackles in football. It's worth wondering what he might have left in the tank, though.

The Jets aren't going to back themselves into a position where they have to draft an offensive tackle in the first round. Bakhtiari is the insurance policy they need to take a "best player available" approach in April.

Oh, and he's one of Aaron Rodgers' best friends. That helps too.

4. The NY Jets sign OG/C Graham Glasgow

The Jets are going to be very active in the interior offensive line market this offseason as they search for as many as two new starters. I'm expecting two moves here — one more high-profile addition (their big signing of the offseason) and one lower-tier one.

This is the low-tier signing. Graham Glasgow is a quality starting guard who offers center versatility and should be available for a reasonable price tag. The Jets showed interest in Glasgow as a center a few years back before ultimately signing Connor McGovern.

Glasgow started 15 games for the Detroit Lions last season, playing all three interior offensive line positions. His 74.9 Pro Football Focus grade actually ranked eighth among all guards in football.

Glasgow turns 32 years old in July and will likely be available for somewhere around $7-8 million a year, making him an affordable second-tier option. He also has ties to Nathaniel Hackett from their time together in Denver.

*NOTE: Glasgow signed a 3-year, $20 million contract to remain with the Detroit Lions on Monday morning

3. The NY Jets sign OG Robert Hunt

This is the Jets' big free-agent signing. This year's tackle class in free agency may be thin, but the guard class is one of the deepest in recent memory. There's no excuse for the Jets not to come away with one of the top free-agent guards on the market.

Robert Hunt comes from a similar zone-based blocking scheme in Miami, where he helped lead one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. At just 27 years old, Hunt is a signing for both the present and the future.

The former second-round pick has experience playing tackle but has really thrived as a guard in the NFL. His 76.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 2023 ranked sixth among all qualified guards.

Hunt won't come cheap, with some projections reaching as much as $17-18 million per season, but if the Jets are going to make a splash signing, this feels like one of the most likely options.

2. The NY Jets sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Not every prediction is an ideal move, and this certainly qualifies. The Jets should not sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but given his close ties to Aaron Rodgers and the team's quest for an X receiver, it just seems likely to happen.

Valdes-Scantling is coming off a disappointing 2023 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, in which he finished with just 21 catches for 315 yards despite playing 58 percent of his team's offensive snaps.

ESPN has an overall receiver score that takes into account open rating, catch rating, and YAC rating. Valdes-Scantling ranked 149th out of 153 qualified wide receivers in 2023 (Allen Lazard ranked dead last, for what it's worth).

The former Packers wide receiver doesn't consistently separate, struggles with drops, and was the worst-qualified YAC receiver in football last season. Nonetheless, the Jets will likely be interested.

1. The NY Jets trade for WR Diontae Johnson

Perhaps this one is more wishful thinking than anything, but if the Jets are going to make a big wide receiver addition in the coming days, it feels much more likely they do so via the trade market.

Calvin Ridley is likely going to price himself out of a Jets stint. The same might be true for Marquise Brown, who could command as much as $15-16 million in free agency. The cheaper alternative might just be to trade for someone like Diontae Johnson, who has been given permission to seek a trade.

The Steelers wide receiver has amassed nearly 400 catches and over 4,300 yards in five years in Pittsburgh. He's entering the final year of his contract and would essentially serve as a one-year, $10 million rental for the Jets.

Johnson is better than almost every free-agent wide receiver on the open market, and as long as the asking price is reasonable, his inexpensive contract makes him a very appealing option.

Courtland Sutton is another name to consider here — and he probably is a better fit — but I'm not convinced he gets moved. Keep an eye on Mike Williams if (and likely when) he's released by the Los Angeles Chargers.