Jets Rumors: Fitzpatrick, WRs, QBs

After getting traded to the Jets, there’ve been a few questions about how New Jersey-native Minkah Fitzpatrick will be utilized in New York’s defense. Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Fitzpatrick hasn’t had conversations on the subject just yet, but he has his preference.

When Fitzpatrick was making his case as a future first-round pick at Alabama, the Crimson Tide utilized his versatility, playing him mostly in the slot but letting him roam into the box and the defensive outfield. The Dolphins utilized him much the same way after drafting him, but when Fitzpatrick was traded to the Steelers in his second year of NFL play, Pittsburgh simplified his role, sticking him mostly back at safety. Making his way back to Miami last year, Fitzpatrick was put back into his nickelback role, and he excelled.

To be fair, Fitzpatrick is hardly limited by where he plays and displayed some excellent seasons in Pittsburgh, but when asked about how he might fit into New York’s defense next season, Fitzpatrick told the media that he “envisions himself playing a nickel role, as he did last year in Miami.” The Jets played fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore in that role for much of last year, but Fitzpatrick will likely be an upgrade over his fellow Alabama alumnus.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of New York:

• In an examination of general manager Darren Mougey‘s patient, methodical roster building strategy, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic broke down how his clairvoyant approach has benefitted the team’s targeting efficiency. Studying the mistakes other teams tend to make in free agency, Mougey examined the likely top receiver options leading up to this year’s offseason. The Jets were interested in Alec Pierce at the top of the market and even Josh Palmer and Dyami Brown at the middle of the market, but Mougey knew that these options wouldn’t be cheap, so when conducting trades this season, he made sure teams included promising, young pass catchers like Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie. Doing so made it easier for New York to walk away from the table as the price tags for Pierce, Palmer, and Brown surpassed expectations and avoid overspending and not getting a decent return on investment.
• Rosenblatt also addressed Mougey’s offseason approach to the quarterback position. After swinging and missing on a decent-sized deal for quarterback Justin Fields, Mougey was able to recoup some value as the Jets moved on. In moving on, Mougey opted to lean on his new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who has long been revered for his quarterback expertise. The collaboration led to the team’s reunion with Geno Smith, whom the team had reportedly looked into to trading for when the Seahawks made him available last year.