Before free agency began, the New York Jets and general manager Joe Douglas understood that the organization was going to have to manage their cap well to improve the roster in 2024.
The balance between finding top players to improve the organization, while not mortgaging the future for a "win-now" season is sometimes difficult to traverse.
Not for Douglas this offseason, though.
As contract details pour in from a busy week, the Jets have shown to make out like bandits in the value they have spent on free agents. Offensive linemen John Simpson, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor all carry cap hits under $4 million in salary cap space. Right tackle Moses may have come via trade, but his $5 million cap hit is the highest the Jets have spent at any position.
To compare, the Jets released guard Laken Tomlinson before free agency began and he carried a 2024 cap hit of over $8 million. New York is paying three of their more important free-agent signings the equivalent of a high-priced guard they let go. That is incredible value for any organization.
Most Jets fans look at the salary cap number of these players and wonder if their "bargain-bin" shopping philosophy would be enough to get New York to be a contender in 2024.
Remember, though. Just because a player counts very little on the salary cap, doesn't mean he isn't being paid a lot on the open market.
Take Kinlaw's contract as an example. Kinlaw's deal is worth over $7 million and he'll see most of that money due to it being tied up in bonuses, void years, and incentives. Kinlaw will see all the money in his contract but it won't count towards the cap. It's why New York, despite struggling to a 7-10 finish last season, dished out the second most amount of money to the roster in total value albeit not all went to the salary cap.
Douglas' gymnastics have allowed the Jets to remain big players in the leftover talent in free agency. New York was able to acquire All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith and is also set to hold wide receiver Mike Williams for a visit. Because many of their free agent signings count so little in the cap game, New York can remain focused on improving the roster over the next month without mortgaging the future of the organization in the coming years.
If there was ever an offseason in which the Jets' general manager needed to ace, it was this one.
And he's done that in droves to this point so far.
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