Free agent safety class and market may create big opportunity for Jets

The safety room is about as empty as it can get right now for the New York Jets, with only Tony Adams under contract for the 2024 season.

The good news, however, is that this year’s free agent safety class is extremely deep, and landing an impact player – or even two – may not break the bank for the Jets from a salary cap perspective.

Around the NFL in recent weeks, a number of proven veteran safeties were released, including Kevin Byard, Jamal Adams, Eddie Jackson, Rayshawn Jenkins, Marcus Maye, Jordan Poyer, and Justin Simmons.

Joining this group on the open market are also several younger candidates, who are entering their prime years, and among the best at the safety position. This group includes Julian Blackmon, Jordan Fuller, Alohi Gilman, Kameron Curl, Geno Stone, and Xavier McKinney.

Members of the Jets’ 2023 defense — Jordan Whitehead, Chuck Clark and Ashtyn Davis — are among this free agent class as well.

With a so-so draft class at safety, along with the Jets having somewhat limited draft capital, addressing this position in free agency is going to be the prudent move, and a potentially “depressed” safety market could give GM Joe Douglas the opportunity to upgrade this group.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic would report that, despite the robust amount of talent at the safety position this offseason, many general managers are approaching free agency as they have in past years, with lower deals than perhaps what is being anticipated on the outside, creating a “depressed” market, as Russini put it.

Russini added that there could be “a lot of one-year deals.”

As always, the players at the top of this market are still going to get their pay-days. For what it’s worth, PFF is projecting that Curl is still going to earn $11.5 million per year and McKinney $13.5 million per year.

However, it’s those players who aren’t in that elite category, that will feel the brunt of this potentially “depressed” market the most, both in contract value and length.

For the Jets, this could create an opportunity for Douglas to add not only one impact player but potentially two if the market unfolds as has been reported.

Oftentimes, the safety has to wear a variety of hats, from lining up deep, to playing in the box, or in the slot, while also juggling coverage responsibilities and helping in run support.

But as Jeff Howe of The Athletic pointed out in a recent article, the safety market, specifically the value of contracts, got too expensive for what the overall impact of the position was.

With the emergence of high-end slot cornerbacks over the years, defensive coordinators scheming up opportunities for both safeties and linebackers, along with teams spending big money at quarterback, receiver, offensive tackle, pass rusher, and cornerback, the safety market – along with linebacker and running back – is feeling the effects of it all.

The balance that Douglas will have to strike is that with only one player on the roster, safety may be the biggest hole from that perspective that the Jets have to fill, it’s not the biggest need that they have. Bolstering the offensive line and adding to the receiver position will take priority.

With that said, given how deep the free agent safety class is and how the market might unfold, the Jets could be positioned well to address the need, and do so in a meaningful way, while still being mindful of the salary cap.