The Jets’ quest to find solutions to their wide receiver problems begins in earnest Tuesday when free agency opens.
But former NFL general manager Bill Polian cautions it is hard to find top-tier wide receivers in free agency.
“Our philosophy was to try to build from within with those kinds of players,” Polian, now an analyst for ESPN, said Wednesday. “I think you can add one or two special skill sets through free agency. But keep in mind, and this is more of a general answer than specific, the best players are not in free agency. They’re tagged or signed. By definition, you’re getting a guy who’s not somebody else’s number one and you’re probably overpaying for him.”
Eric Decker, Hakeem Nicks, Julian Edelman, Golden Tate and Emmanuel Sanders are the top free agent receivers available. Polian did not comment on specific players, but said a team has to be careful to not overpay simply because a player is the best available.
“The best players are signed,” he said. “These are essentially ‘B’ players whose agents are looking for ‘A’ money. That, in itself, is not the best of buys. You recognize that as a general manager.”
The Jets currently have about $24 million in salary-cap space. That number is expected to balloon to around $50 million if they release wide receiver Santonio Holmes, quarterback Mark Sanchez and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, as expected.
That will give general manager John Idzik plenty of money to play with, but how will he use it? This is essentially the first chance to see Idzik’s free-agency philosophy. Last year, his first with the Jets, the team had little cap space. He spent mainly on role players, not top free agents.
Polian, who built a Super Bowl champion with the Colts, emphasized using the draft, more than free agency, to build a team.
“Free agency is not free,” he said. “It costs two things: time and money.”
The Jets’ top priority this offseason has to be improving at wide receiver. If they release Holmes, as expected, that would leave Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley and David Nelson as their leading receivers.
The Jets likely will have to both spend on a free agent and draft a few receivers to fix their issues. Polian, speaking in general terms, said he would rather overpay a receiver he had drafted rather than a free agent.
“Our feeling was if you have a Marvin Harrison, pay him. If you have Reggie Wayne, if you’re lucky enough to draft him, pay him,” Polian said. “If you don’t have anybody, it usually helps to get a veteran who can fill a hole in the short-term in free agency, but then the question becomes how much do you pay for that player, how much tread does he have left on his tire, what kind of person is he? Those are difficult decisions you have to make in free agency.”
The Jets were awarded cornerback Johnny Patrick off waivers Wednesday, a day after the Chargers cut him.
Patrick played mainly in the slot for San Diego, starting four games and appearing in 13 last season. He was originally a third-round draft pick of the Saints in 2011 out of Louisville. New Orleans cut him last February and he was picked up by the Chargers. Patrick has one career interception.
The Jets currently have Cromartie and Dee Milliner atop the depth chart at cornerback with Kyle Wilson as their top slot corner. Cromartie is expected to be released in the coming days before he receives a $5 million roster bonus. The Jets could bring Cromartie back at a lower price, though.
Patrick played with Jets running back Bilal Powell at Louisville.
The Jets agreed to new contracts with CBs Ellis Lankster and Darrin Walls. Lankster was set to become an unrestricted free agent. Walls would have been a restricted free agent.