New York Jets Flight Connections 3/07/21

Good morning, Gang Green Nation! Eight more days before legal tampering begins. It’s the calm before the storm. Everyone has their top free agents the New York Jets should pursue. You know the names: Joe Thuney, Corey Linsley, Allen Robinson, Trey Hendrickson, etc. But what about the less prominent names? Chances are Joe Douglas will not be signing all the biggest names in free agency, and with the second most cap space in the NFL, chances are also that Joe Douglas will be signing a lot of free agents. Which means we should probably expect a fairly large class of role players and other under the radar signings. So let’s talk about this for a second. Who are your preferred role players and lesser known players to target in free agency?

Two of mine are a couple of guys with blazing speed who can be useful as backups and on special teams. Jamal Agnew is a 25 year old wide receiver/cornerback/kick returner with 4.38 speed. He came into the league with the Lions as a cornerback, then was converted to wide receiver. He can provide marginal, back of the roster depth at both positions, but his real utility is on special teams. Agnew led the NFL in punt return average in 2017 and has a stellar 11.6 yard career punt return average, as well as a 25.8 yard kick return average and five career return TDs. Agnew also has been effective in coverage teams. By holding down so many different roles Agnew can free up a roster spot or two otherwise used by two or more different specialists.

My other role player is Football Team cornerback Fabian Moreau. The 26 year old Moreau boasts 4.35 speed. He played primarily slot cornerback with the Football Team, where he gradually fell out of favor. Moreau actually played much better as a boundary cornerback whenever he was given an opportunity, but the Football Team had players they liked better on the boundary, so Moreau was stuck in the slot. I think Moreau might have a chance to challenge for a starting position on the Jets’ outside cornerback starved defense, but more likely the Jets sign or draft one or two more prominent cornerbacks and Moreau comes in as a useful backup who can fill in at the slot and on the outside without being a complete disaster. Moreau is another player who is experienced and useful on the coverage teams, and lord knows the Jets coverage teams can use all the help they can get. He also has done fairly well generating turnovers, snagging six interceptions while playing in just 52% of the Football Team’s snaps the last three years.

How about you? Which under the radar guys and role players would you like to see the Jets sign in free agency? Let us know in the comments.

In the meantime, here are your links to the Jets this glorious Saturday in March:

Brian Costello - NFL free agency: Jets could look to score with 49ers veterans

Rich Cimini - New York Jets could hold winning lottery ticket as Zach Wilson’s draft stock soars

Max Goodman - New York Jets draft George EDGE Azeez Ojulari in mock

Max Goodman - Mark Sanchez thinks Sam Darnold should leave the New York Jets

Alek Arend - NFL Insider Names Jets “Only” Choice With QB Sam Darnold

Dan Lyons - Mark Sanchez: Jets Have To ‘Do Something Fast’ To Trade Sam Darnold

Spencer Aber - Ex-Jets QB Mark Sanchez hopes Sam Darnold gets traded out of New York

Stephen Nixon - NY Jets: 3 trade packages for Sam Darnold that have been proposed

Darryl Slater - Which in-house free agents (other than Marcus Maye) should Jets retain? And who should walk?

Allen Settle - NY Jets: 3 tight ends to consider targeting in 2021 free agency

Justin Fried - NY Jets: 3 more players who should be cut in the coming days

Tyler Capossela - NY Jets: Joe Thuney must be the top priority in free agency

Justin Fried - NY Jets: Allen Robinson continues to flirt with Gang Green on Twitter

Gary Phillips - Ex-Jets QB Christian Hackenberg lands high school coaching job

Tyler Calvaruso - 2021 NFL Free Agency: 6 of the Jets’ biggest needs

Tyler Calvaruso - 2021 NFL Free Agency: Evaluating the Jets’ 25 free agents

Sam Neumann - 2021 NFL draft: Jets add an edge rusher in Todd McShay’s latest mock

Here are your missed connections from yesterday.

Here’s the thread about nothing, why not stop by and say hello?

Enjoy the day everybody.