Jets general manager Joe Douglas met the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday. With his flannel shirt, vest, and hat, he looked like he was about to go hunting.
In a sense, he is. Douglas said he would be on the lookout for players at the Combine who fit his mold of high character and explosive playmaking ability.
Oh, and throwing in some big guys who can block wouldn't hurt either.
Douglas, a former collegiate offensive lineman, has stated that he will prioritize a revamp of the Jets' woeful line this offseason. The Jets ranked 30th in the league last season in both pass blocking efficiency and run blocking by ProFootballFocus.com. No wonder they finished dead last in yards gained.
At the Combine, Douglas will have the opportunity to measure, test, and interview the targets he hopes will be around for the Jets' 11th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 23. Among them are the four tackles—in no particular order, Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), Andrew Thomas (Georgia), and Mekhi Becton (Louisville)--who have been projected to go within the top 15 selections in most mock drafts.
Becton in particular has been rising fast among the punditry. The six-foot seven, 364-pounder interviewed with the Jets on Tuesday.
One thing to remember, though, is that unlike the NBA or NHL, pro football holds its draft AFTER its new league year commences. NFL free agents can be signed on March 18.
That means there's an implied risk for New York. Will the player (or players) Douglas covets at this position be there at 11? And how sure is Douglas that his chosen rookie can step in to protect third-year quarterback Sam Darnold's blind side right away?
Douglas should therefore hedge his bet by re-signing left tackle Kelvin Beachum.
While saying that Beachum was the Jets' best offensive lineman last season is like saying that Metro North is the most efficient of all New York transit systems, he really wasn't that bad. In 13 games, he allowed four sacks and three QB hits, per PFF. He graded out as average. It should be noted, though, that in the three games Beachum missed, the Jets (7-9) lost all three by a combined score of 88-33. And Luke Falk wasn't under center for any of those contests.
The Jets relied on Beachum, who will turn 31 in June, to call on his eight years of NFL experience on the field and in the locker room, where he was, by all accounts, admired for his wisdom and toughness. He pretty much battled through ankle issues all season. Though he came to New York in 2017 with questions about his durability, those three aforementioned absences have been the only blemish on his attendance record.
Beachum's three-year, $24 million contract expired after last season, making him an unrestricted free agent. After slot cornerback Brian Poole, Beachum should be the next in-house free agent in line at Douglas' office to sign an extension. A raise to around a $10 million per year average over two years, with maybe a larger signing bonus and a low guarantee in year two, is a good place to start. Douglas could have around $80 million in salary cap room when the market opens if he makes certain appropriate cuts.
Re-signing Beachum wouldn't preclude Douglas from drafting a tackle, either in the first round or on subsequent days. The Jets also need someone to push last year's third-round pick Chuma Edoga at right tackle. A free agent like Tennessee's Jack Conklin will be prohibitively expensive. Douglas can get better value if he allocates more resources to upgrades at guard. New England's Joe Thuney and Washington's Brandon Scherff have been reported to be on the Jets' radar.
As I wrote last week, I would prefer that the Jets utilize their first-round pick on a game-breaking receiver and then circle back to the line with one or two of their other three selections within the first 79 overall. Of the top 15 centers last season as graded by PFF, only one was chosen in a first round. Two others went in round two.
Failing to re-sign Beachum would be a clear indication that Douglas will pluck a tackle with the 11th overall pick. He'd better hope his target would be in his line of fire.
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