Another Brick in their wall
D’Brickashaw Ferguson has not been retired for a full calendar year yet, but the Jets are moving on to their third starting left tackle since he departed last April.
The team signed Kelvin Beachum to a three-year, $24 million contract Friday, giving him the next shot at replacing Ferguson, who never missed a snap in 10 seasons with the Jets.
Beachum, 27, is coming off a disappointing season with the Jaguars. He signed a four-year, $40 million deal with Jacksonville last year, but the contract gave the Jaguars an easy escape after one season. Last month, they decided not to exercise the team option in the contract, and he became a free agent.
Pro Football Focus gave Beachum a grade of 44.3 last season, which ranked 63rd out of 78 qualified tackles. His pass-blocking grade was 43rd of 74, and his runblocking grade was 75th out of 79. He gave up 47 total pressures — four sacks, six quarterback hits and 37 hurries — on 633 passblock snaps, according to the site.
By comparison, Ryan Clady, who began last year as the starting left tackle for the Jets, was graded as the 62nd-best tackle by PFF. His pass-blocking grade was 605th and run-blocking grade 53rd.
Injury may have been to blame for Beachum’s dropoff in 2016. He tore the ACL in his left knee in October 2015 while with the Steelers. Players sometimes struggle in their first year back from the injury but play better the next year. The Jets surely are hoping that is the case.
It is tough to evaluate Beachum’s 2015 season because he played in just six games. However, Beachum had a very strong season for the Steelers in 2014. Pro Football Focus ranked him the ninth-best tackle out of 83 graded. He was fourth in pass blocking and 27th in run blocking. He allowed just 19 pressures that year.
The Jets re-signed Ben Ijalana last week to a two-year deal. Ijalana replaced Clady last season after Clady suffered a seasonending shoulder injury. The signing of Beachum looks like it will move Ijalana back to the right side to compete with Brandon Shell for the starting tackle job.
One executive with another team suggested the Jets might view Beachum as a stopgap until they find a long-term answer at the position.
“He can start for a season, but I don’t see him as a long-term solution,” the executive said. “He probably gives them some insurance if they don’t draft a starter or one that’s not ready to start.”
Beachum’s contract suggests the Jets could view him as a twoyear starter at least, though. The $24 million deal includes $12 million in guaranteed money — $8 million in 2017 and $4 million in 2018. His salary cap numbers are $5 million this year and go up to $9.5 million in each of the next two years. His 2019 year voids if he makes the Pro Bowl in either of the first two years. The $8 million this year consists of a $4.5 million signing bonus, $2 million roster bonus and $1.5 million base salary.