BOUYE SCOUTS
Texans corner could be Gang’s Revis replacement
INDIANAPOLIS — Two years ago, Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan spent big on cornerbacks.
He likely will have to go down that same road again this year.
The pending release of Darrelle Revis only underscores how dire the situation is for the Jets at cornerback. At the moment, the top cornerbacks on their roster are Buster Skrine, Juston Burris and Marcus Williams, who is a restricted free agent.
The Jets likely need to add at least two players at the position — one big name in free agency and one high in the draft. The talk at the NFL Scouting Combine is the Jets are expected to be interested in Texans free agent A.J. Bouye.
Bouye, 25, emerged this season as one of the top cornerbacks in the league. An undrafted free agent out of Central Fl ori da, Bouye had a breakthrough 2016. Now, he is considered by many to be the top free agent overall, not just at cornerback.
The rise of Bouye is amazing. As late as October, he was the fourth cornerback on the Texans. Now, he is looking at a huge payday.
He may not make it to free agency, as the Texans might resign him. The price tag also might be too high for the Jets. The projections are that discussions will begin at $13 million per year. He could get a contract similar to the f ive-year, $62. 5 million contract the Giants gave Janoris Jenkins last year.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien said the team wants Bouye back.
“A.J. is a very important part of our team,” O’Brien said. “He’s a guy that has really worked hard to improve his own skill set.”
The Jets will have about $26 million in cap space after the release of Revis becomes off icial next week. They can add more space with additional moves. Brandon Marshall and Marcus Gilchrist still could be cut, and Sheldon Richardson could be traded.
The Jets have plenty of holes to fill, but it starts with quarterback and cornerback. Maccagnan has shown he is willing to spend for the right player. Bouye makes a lot of sense for the Jets. He is still
young, and Maccagnan was the college scouting director when Houston signed Bouye.
If they don’t go after Bouye, the other top freeagent cornerbacks are Logan Ryan of the Patriots and Stephon Gilmore of the Bills. The Jets know both players well from facing them in the division for several years. The question with them will be whether the Jets consider them No. 1 cornerbacks worth spend- ing big on.
One option was taken off the table Wednesday when the Rams applied the franchise tag to Trumaine Johnson.
Whatever the Jets do at cornerback in free agency, they almost certainly will add one in the draft. Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore is the top projected college player at the position and could be the Jets’ target with the sixth overall pick.
The draft experts believe this is a deep draft at cornerback. The ot her top cornerbacks in this draft are: Tre’Davious White of LSU, Sidney Jones of Washington, Marlon Humphrey of Alabama, and Florida’s Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor.
Jets coach Todd Bowles will leave the combine Thursday for a personal reason. He is expected to return Saturday. brian.costello@nypost.com