CLEARED TO LAND
Jets sign tackle & kicker, still have plenty of cap space left
The opening days of NFL free agency have been more fizzle than frenzy if you are a Jets fan, but the team finally made a few moves Friday night.
The Jets signed left tackle Kelvin Beachum and kicker Chandler Catanzaro, their first moves of free agency other than re-signing a few of their own free agents Thursday.
Beachum started 15 games for the Jaguars last year after playing his first four years with the Steelers. Jacksonville decided not to pick up his option after the season. Beachum, 27, visited the Jets last year when they were searching for a replacement for D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Beachum ended up with the Jaguars and the Jets traded for Ryan Clady, who they let go after one season.
Pro Football Focus had Beachum graded as the 63rd-best tackle out of 78 they graded last year. He gave up 49 quarterback pressures.
It will be interesting to see how the Jets’ tackle situation shakes out. They re-signed Ben Ijalana on Thursday to a two-year deal. Ijalana started 13 games for the Jets last year, beginning the year at right tackle and then moving to left when Clady injured his shoulder. He could move back to the right side. Beachum played right tackle early in his career in Pittsburgh, but has mostly been on the left side. The Jets also have second-year tackle Brandon Shell, who they are high on, and Brent Qvale.
Catanzaro replaces longtime kicker Nick Folk, who the Jets cut last month. Coach Todd Bowles knows Catanzaro from their time together with the Cardinals, where Catanzaro spent the past three years. Arizona declined to tender Catanzaro as a restricted free agent after a rough season. He hit 21-of-28 field goals and missed four extra points.
The moves fill two holes on a roster that has many of them and shows general manager Mike Maccagnan is not just sitting on his hands. Through the first 24 hours of free agency, there was barely a peep out of the Jets.
That is not to say staying away from the funny money of the first days of free agency is unwise. It often burns many teams. But the Jets are coming off a 5-11 season with a roster filled with holes and they entered free agency with $33 million in salary cap space. It is surprising they have not been more active.
Maccagnan has emphasized over and over his plan is to “build through the draft,” so no one should have expected a spending spree when free agency opened Thursday.
It is likely a sign that Maccagnan is being very disciplined about how much he is willing to spend on free agents. We know the Jets liked quarterback Mike Glennon, but they were not going to pay him $15 million a year like the Bears did. That is probably a wise decision.
They also missed on two other quarterbacks they had their eyes on when Tyrod Taylor opted to redo his deal with the Bills and Brian Hoyer picked the 49ers over the Jets. The team remains interested in free agent Jay Cutler as a possible option to fill the hole on their team.
Tony Jefferson, a free agent safety the Jets were interested in, caused some waves Friday when he told themmqb.com that he chose the Ravens over the Jets, despite the Jets offering $1.5 million more per year. It was surprising to hear that because Jefferson played for Bowles in Arizona. Sources later said that Jefferson made a mistake and this was not true. A source said the Jets actually dropped out of the bidding fairly early in the process.
The Jets also had Rams free agent running back and kick returner Benny Cunningham in for a visit Friday.
The Jets also re-signed long snapper Tanner Purdum on Friday. Purdum is one of two players — along with David Harris — left from the Jets’ last playoff team in 2010.