Dolphins To Waive S Marcus Maye
Among the handful of safety cap casualties this offseason, Marcus Maye will join Jamal Adams and Eddie Jackson in being cut twice in 2024. The Dolphins are moving on from the longtime starter, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
This exit follows Maye’s Saints departure earlier this year, though it is not yet certain the Dolphins are ending this partnership for good. If Maye clears waivers, Pelissero adds Miami would like to keep him around via a practice squad deal.
Similar to the Broncos’ Greg Dulcich cut Monday, the Dolphins have roster space to clear in order to go through with an activation. Safety Patrick McMorris is set to fill Maye’s spot on the 53-man roster, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson adds. Miami designated Morris for return November 7, meaning he must be activated or moved to season-ending IR by Thursday.
A sixth-round rookie, McMorris will soon jump ahead of Maye in the Dolphins’ safety hierarchy. McMorris has indeed been activated from IR, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. This transaction leaves Miami with four injury activations remaining this season.
That said, the Dolphins still could elevate Maye from the practice squad — should the former Jets second-round pick clear waivers and stay with the team — to continue using him a supporting role in their secondary. Maye, who signed a one-year deal worth $1.38MM in June, played in all 11 Dolphins games and made three starts this season.
Perennially needing to carve out extensive cap space each offseason, the Saints released Maye after two seasons. He missed 10 games due to injury and a personal conduct suspension last season. This season with the Dolphins, the former franchise tag recipient made 30 tackles and forced a fumble. Pro Football Focus had viewed the 31-year-old defender as having a bounce-back year, slotting him 21st among safety regulars (over 293 defensive snaps). The Dolphins, however, have Jevon Holland and fellow cap casualty-turned-starter Jordan Poyer as their primary back-line duo.
Although a few of this year’s safety cuts are still with teams (Poyer, Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Kevin Byard), Adams has not resurfaced since his Titans release while the Ravens cut Jackson this weekend. Adams’ former teammate in New York, Maye has made 80 career starts. A team to submit a claim would owe him just more than $400K for the season’s remainder.
Raiders Designate QB Aidan O’Connell For Return; Daniel Jones Rules Out Las Vegas
NOVEMBER 26: The Raiders do indeed plan to start O’Connell this week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. With Minshew sidelined for the remainder of the year, O’Connell will be in place to retain QB1 duties the rest of the way.
NOVEMBER 25: Gardner Minshew failed to finish a Raiders-Broncos game for the second time, with the oft-benched quarterback going down with a broken collarbone yesterday. Antonio Pierce confirmed reports of the break Monday and said Aidan O’Connell is in play to return this week.
The Raiders have since designated O’Connell for return from IR. This marked the second-year quarterback’s first week of return eligibility. The Raiders will now have 21 days to activate the QB to the active roster, but it sounds like O’Connell could return as soon as Black Friday. The signal caller has been rehabbing a broken thumb suffered in late October.
With Minshew failing to impress to begin the campaign, O’Connell eventually took over atop the depth chart. He got his first start in Week 6, completing 27 of his 40 pass attempts for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, he was knocked out of his second start after only 14 snaps, and his placement on IR kept him off the field for the past four games.
In four appearances this season, O’Connell completed 63.4 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. This followed a 2023 campaign where the rookie fourth-round pick went 5-5 while throwing 12 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. While the Raiders are well outside of the playoff picture, O’Connell will still have a chance to build on his career numbers for the stretch run of the season.
He could also make an argument for the QB1 role ahead of the 2025 campaign. O’Connell remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, while Minshew was added on a two-year pact in the spring. The Raiders should also be armed with a top pick in next year’s draft, so there’s a chance the team adds another QB to the mix before the start of the 2025 season.
With Minshew being lost for the season, the Raiders will no longer have to make a decision following O’Connell’s activation. Minshew improved on his turnovers over his past four starts, with the veteran tossing five scores vs. two picks over that span. When the QB was knocked out of yesterday’s game, he was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who completed five of 10 passes while also taking a pair of sacks.
Considering the Raiders’ inconsistent play at the position in 2024, they’ve been mentioned as a natural suitor for Daniel Jones. While the team did indeed show some interest in the former Giants starter, the quarterback has “eliminated Las Vegas from consideration,” per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Jones has received interest from “multiple” playoff squads and is interested in joining a contender.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Ulbrich: Aaron Rodgers To Remain Jets’ QB1
Rumblings about an imminent Jets divorce with Aaron Rodgers have surfaced in the wake of Joe Douglas‘ firing. An awkward period figures to precede that separation, potentially one that features the quarterback shut down early.
A Saturday report indicated Rodgers was likely to finish the season on IR or on the bench. We do not appear at that point yet. Interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) Rodgers would “absolutely” start against the Seahawks in Week 13.
[RELATED: Rodgers Still Aiming To Play In 2025]
The Jets sit 3-8, leading to Douglas’ firing, and a number of reports have detailed Woody Johnson‘s outsized influence in personnel matters during the GM’s final year in charge. The Rodgers-Johnson relationship, viewed by some to be frosty, may determine how this chapter ends. A Sunday report, however, did describe a fracture between QB and owner as overblown.
Johnson is widely believed to have suggested his then-Robert Saleh-led coaching staff bench Rodgers after he struggled against the Broncos in Week 4. As could be expected, Jets coaches talked the owner out of that audacious effort. Rodgers, 41 next week, has not closely resembled his MVP-level form this season but has also been battling injuries.
The future Hall of Famer has run into ankle, knee and hamstring trouble this season, with the hamstring issue believed to be the most significant. When asked about a report that indicated Rodgers refused medical scans in an effort to keep his injuries’ severity hidden, Ulbrich said that was “news to me.” Ulbrich added Rodgers is feeling healthier now, coming out of New York’s bye week, than he did earlier this season.
Rodgers attempted to make a historically quick return from an Achilles tear last year, resurfacing at practice with an official IR-return designation. Though, he admitted he was not 100% — as could be expected — once he came back to practice. But Rodgers has displayed toughness as a Jet, albeit while failing to turn the team around as many anticipated. QBR places Rodgers 24th this season, reminding of his 2022 form (26th). He has averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt this season; that would be a career-low mark for the 17th-year starter.
The Jets are 1-5 under Ulbrich and 1-4 since acquiring Davante Adams, at Rodgers’ urging. The team ranks 27th in scoring and total offense, while Ulbrich’s leadership has brought a defensive regression as well. Rodgers has nevertheless backed Ulbrich, who had been the Jets’ DC from 2021 until Saleh’s firing. Both are highly likely to be elsewhere in 2025.
Unless the Browns take an unfathomable dead money hit by cutting Deshaun Watson next year, the Jets dropping Rodgers would bring the second-most dead money one player ever has. Only the Broncos’ $83MM-plus Russell Wilson release will come in higher, as it would cost the Jets $49MM — likely to be split up via a post-June 1 designation — to release Rodgers.
If the Jets are to turn away from Rodgers as they both prepare for a fresh start — while potentially aiming to ensure a better chance at a top-five draft choice — they would stand to replace him with Tyrod Taylor, who signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the team this offseason. It is unclear if the team would want a full-on overhaul at the position, but Taylor is tied to a $6MM base salary for 2025. Of that total, $2.5MM is guaranteed.
Broncos Waive TE Greg Dulcich
Showing promise as a rookie, Greg Dulcich has been unable to replicate that form since. The former third-rounder had surmounted his nagging injury issues this season but has not commandeered a role for the Broncos.
As a result of this and injured players being close to returning to the 53-man roster, 9News’ Mike Klis notes the Broncos are waiving Dulcich. The young tight end’s rookie contract runs through 2025; if no team claims him by 3pm CT on Tuesday, he will hit free agency. The Broncos discussed Dulcich in trades before the deadline but opted to hang onto him.
Dulcich’s injury led to the Broncos receiving little — in terms of aerial production — from their tight end contingent last season, with a hamstring injury and subsequent aggravation leading him to two IR placements. The 24-year-old target played just 32 snaps last season. Although he came back to play 120 this year, the Broncos had dropped him to healthy-scratch status several weeks ago. Despite Denver still receiving little from its tight ends, Sean Payton has not found a place for the third-year pass catcher.
As a rookie breaking into the NFL on a team that featured a disjointed offense — during an ill-fated Nathaniel Hackett–Russell Wilson partnership — Dulich totaled 420 receiving yards in just 10 games. The Broncos had included previous starter Noah Fant in the Wilson trade that year, and Dulcich profiled as the obvious successor. But hamstring trouble intervened early, as Dulcich both began and ended the 2022 season on IR.
Payton said Dulcich saw hamstring specialists, and he was not a full participant during the Broncos’ offseason program this year. Dulcich returned in time for training camp and started three games this season, but he quickly fell out of favor. Catching only five passes for 28 yards, Dulcich has not been active since Week 4. Denver has used Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, a former Saints UDFA during Dennis Allen‘s HC tenure, as its primary tight ends since. Neither player has more than 175 yards, with Trautman sitting at 158 to pace the group.
Dulcich will now have an opportunity to revive his career elsewhere, and it sounds like it shouldn’t take long for the tight end to find his next gig. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Dulcich should draw some interest on the waiver wire. On the third year of his rookie pact, Dulcich could be more than a temporary rental for any interested squads.
The Broncos are preparing to activate Josh Reynolds from IR and linebacker Drew Sanders from the PUP list. The Dulcich exit will open one roster spot, and while the Broncos could bring him back on their practice squad, a waiver claim preventing that should not be ruled out. Dulcich is due less than $400K in remaining 2024 base salary and is tied to a nonguaranteed $1.42MM number in 2025.
49ers OL Jon Feliciano To Land On Season-Ending IR; Dre Greenlaw To Practice
The 49ers expected Jon Feliciano back around the midseason point and had designated the veteran offensive lineman for return from IR earlier this month. No activation will take place, however.
Feliciano’s knee has not responded well upon a return to practice, Kyle Shanahan said, and ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner notes the O-lineman will miss the rest of the season. Feliciano will revert to season-ending IR, as the 49ers will not activate him after an IR-return window. Monday marked the 21-day mark since the window opened, forcing the 49ers to make a determination on Feliciano’s status.
[RELATED: Brock Purdy In Play To Suit Up In Week 13]
A starter in seven regular-season games and all three 49ers playoff contests, Feliciano suffered the knee injury during training camp. The 49ers waited to place him on IR until after setting their 53-man roster, so they will not lose one of their injury activations by shutting him down. The injury-plagued team — one that suited up without Nick Bosa, Trent Williams and Brock Purdy in Week 12 — still has four IR-return moves remaining. The Purdy-Bosa-Williams trio remains on the active roster, though Talanoa Hufanga is an IR-return candidate — if the All-Pro safety is healthy enough to come back.
Some good injury news for the 49ers did emerge Monday, however. As expected, the team is set to open Dre Greenlaw‘s 21-day return window, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows tweets. Greenlaw is set to practice for the first time since tearing an Achilles tendon in Super Bowl LVIII. Greenlaw’s return also will not count against the 49ers’ activation total, as he is set to enter the PUP-return window.
Feliciano also went down during Super Bowl LVIII, and while his injury may well have contributed to Chris Jones‘ seminal third-down pressure to stop the 49ers’ opening overtime drive, it did not lead to this season’s absence. The 49ers have also found an answer at right guard. They turned to third-round rookie Dominick Puni due in part to Feliciano’s injury, and the Kansas alum has started opposite Aaron Banks throughout the season.
Now 32 and in his 10th year as an NFL blocker, Feliciano had hinted — upon re-signing with the 49ers (on a one-year, $2.75MM deal) in March — this would be his final NFL season. It is not yet known if the former Raiders, Bills and Giants interior lineman will change his mind based on the knee injury, but he will not factor into the 49ers’ plans this season. Feliciano, who has made 61 career starts and spent full seasons at both guard and center, was likely to represent solid swing depth had he returned this season.
Greenlaw obviously will be set for a much bigger role. The longtime Fred Warner sidekick has been a three-down linebacker with San Francisco for years, having signed a two-year, $16.4MM extension during the 2022 season. That pact goes through this season’s end, and Greenlaw will soon aim to secure a strong third contract. The 49ers are likely to slow-play the full-time defender’s ramp-up, but as the 5-6 team now faces the Bills after dropping a one-sided matchup to the Packers sans Purdy and Co., the risk of the defending NFC champions falling out of the playoff race is suddenly real.
Greenlaw, 27, coming back can benefit the 49ers’ defense, and it will be interesting to see when the team decides to activate him. His Super Bowl injury dealt the 49ers a cruel blow, as the player who was to be a key part of the team’s Travis Kelce defense effort stumbled to the turf upon trotting onto the field for a first-half defensive possession. Kelce proceeded to catch nine passes for 93 yards to help the Chiefs to an overtime conquest.
The 49ers already decided to extend one of their many contract-year starters, giving Deommodore Lenoir a five-year, $89.8MM deal, doing so months after paying Brandon Aiyuk. Greenlaw joins Banks, Hufanga and Charvarius Ward among core players not contracted for 2025. Although Greenlaw’s sixth NFL season will be abbreviated, a run at full strength over the final month and change — depending on when the 49ers activate him — would strengthen his 2025 market. The 49ers hold exclusive negotiating rights with Greenlaw until the legal tampering period begins March 10.
Dolphins Activate G Isaiah Wynn
Isaiah Wynn will make a return to an NFL active roster for the first time in 13 months. Down for over a year due to a quad injury, the Dolphins guard is back on the team’s 53-man squad.
Miami is activating Wynn from the reserve/PUP list and waiving offensive lineman Lester Cotton. Wynn had worked as the Dolphins’ left guard starter when healthy last season, but it has been a long road back for the former first-round pick. Because this is a PUP list activation, the Dolphins will not lose one of their injury activations. Only IR and NFI moves count against that total.
The Dolphins have now given Wynn two one-year contracts, the second of which at a slightly lower rate due to the significant injury sustained. Wynn re-signed with Miami for $1.89MM, factoring in an expected in-season absence. Like Bradley Chubb‘s, that absence has proven lengthy. Wynn has not played since Oct. 22, 2023.
Wynn, 29 next month, had not come to Florida with much momentum due to struggling during his New England contract year. Wynn nevertheless won the Dolphins’ left guard job out of training camp last year, playing opposite Robert Hunt. The latter departed for a monster Panthers contract this offseason, leading Miami to make adjustments up front.
Absent Wynn, the Dolphins have used the re-signed Robert Jones at LG and Liam Eichenberg at RG. It will be interesting to see if Miami deems Wynn a starter again or uses him as a swingman behind its current first-stringers. Wynn has worked as a starter for most of his career, though he has primarily played left tackle as a pro. Pro Football Focus grades neither Jones nor Eichenberg as a top-40 option at guard, slotting the latter in the bottom 15 among regulars at the position.
Cotton had been a swingman this season, playing in all 11 games as a backup. The Dolphins had rostered the ex-Raiders draftee since 2022 and likely would be interested in keeping him around on the practice squad, assuming the sixth-year blocker clears waivers. Cotton made eight starts last season, primarily filling in for Wynn after the midseason setback.
Jameson Williams Will Not Face Gun Charge
Jameson Williams has run into several early-career hurdles, among them suspensions under the NFL’s gambling and PED policies. While a third suspension may come under the personal conduct policy, the third-year wide receiver is not set to be charged in connection with an October incident.
The Wayne County (Mich.) Prosecutor’s Office said Monday (h/t ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard) that Williams will not be hit with a concealed weapons charge. A strange early-morning sequence October 8 involving Williams handcuffed led to the former first-round pick being released, only to see an investigation into the police department’s conduct that morning come under investigation.
Officers placed Williams in handcuffs and nearly booked him on a gun charge. Williams was to be taken to jail before being released from custody shortly prior to being booked. This incident occurred after midnight Oct. 8. An officer’s suspected effort to have Williams evade an arrest due to his Lions status was part of the investigation, as connections on this front surfaced. But the talented wideout will indeed do so six-plus weeks later.
“We have looked at this case thoroughly and objectively. We did not consider that Mr. Williams is a Detroit professional athlete in our decision-making,” prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. “We have charged Detroit area athletes before and would not have hesitated to do so again if the facts of this case would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Williams and his brother were pulled over in Detroit, and the stop led to Williams — the passenger in the vehicle — admitting he was in possession of a gun without a concealed pistol license. The arresting officer informed Williams he would be taken into custody. The officer’s bodycam footage includes Williams repeatedly saying he was a Lions player. “I play for the Lions, bro. I’m Jameson Williams,” the 23-year-old wideout said. While Williams was placed in the back of a squad car, he was not taken to jail.
A sergeant who arrived to back up the arresting officers soon made several calls to superiors asking if Williams needed to be arrested on this gun charge. The sergeant’s cellphone wallpaper included a Lions logo. The sergeant is heard indicating Williams would indeed be taken to jail on the charge, but a lieutenant then called back to indicate no booking would be necessary. The sergeant thanked the lieutenant, per Ross, and took Williams out of handcuffs.
“The CPL holder here was the driver and had care, custody and control of the car,” Worthy said Monday, referring to a concealed pistol license. “Guidance is needed for the future on how many weapons can a valid CPL say that they have control over? Despite all of this, if Mr. Williams had the gun on his person, he would have been charged.”
Williams could still be suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, as no convictions are necessary for such punishment. An arrest certainly would have increased the chances of that happening. Williams, 23, served a gambling ban to start last season and was sidelined two games this year for a PED violation. He has played in nine games this season, showing tremendous on-field growth. Williams finished with 354 yards in 12 games last year; he is at 602 (with four touchdown receptions) this season.
Texans S Jalen Pitre Avoids Full Pectoral Tear, To Miss Time
A chest injury drove Jalen Pitre out of the Texans’ Week 12 loss to the Titans, and the ascending defender will be set to miss more time. But Pitre looks to have dodged the worst-case scenario here.
Pitre suffered a pectoral injury, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes he avoided a full tear. No surgery is planned as of yet, though NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicates Pitre will miss multiple games with a partial tear.
A former second-round pick, Pitre has settled into a slot role with the Texans. The safety draftee has excelled in the run game and held his own in coverage this season, with Pro Football Focus slotting him 14th among corners. The Baylor product has 65 tackles (six for loss) and intercepted a pass during his third year.
Pitre piled up better tackling numbers as a rookie, making 147 stops as the Texans continued their rebuild. That number is far and away the most any rookie DB has compiled this century. Only 2010 Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward (123) came within 30 tackles of Pitre’s rookie-year showing since 2000.
Now playing a new role that naturally reduces his tackle opportunities, Pitre still has been a fixture on Houston’s defense. He entered Sunday’s game having played 93% of the team’s defensive snaps this season. The Texans, who also played without corner Jeff Okudah on Sunday, are thin at this position sans Pitre. They recently released veteran slot Desmond King from their practice squad; King has since signed with the Ravens.
The Texans did, however, receive worse news on one of their other DBs. Cornerback Ka’dar Hollman, who has worked as a special teams regular this season, suffered a torn ACL, Wilson adds. Houston signed Hollman, a sixth-year veteran who has primarily been a special-teamer during his career, off Baltimore’s practice squad last month.
Brandon Graham Suffers Triceps Tear
Brandon Graham made Eagles history this year, becoming the first player in franchise history to suit up for a 15th season with the franchise. The 36-year-old edge rusher also made an impact in Sunday night’s game, but it is now expected to be his last this season — and potentially his final NFL contest.
Following the game, Graham said (via ESPN.com’s Tim McManus) he suffered a triceps tear. This injury regularly shelves players for extended periods, and while it may be slightly premature to deem Graham done for the season, he went as far as to proclaim his campaign is over.
While this injury comes for an Eagles team that just lost Bryce Huff for a period due to a wrist injury. Huff landed on IR this week but is expected back later this season. For the time being, an Eagles team flush with D-end investments will be shorthanded.
As for Graham, it is fair to speculate on whether Sunday night will be his NFL finale. The Eagles have continued to sign the 2010 first-round pick to one-year contracts, and he put off retirement to play a 15th season this year. Graham said this offseason he would retire after the 2024 season, though he did not confirm that when asked postgame.
Graham left the Eagles’ Week 12 win over the Rams during the fourth quarter. He sacked Matthew Stafford once and compiled three QB hits in Philadelphia’s convincing road victory. If Graham’s season is over, he finishes with 3.5 sacks and seven QB hits in 11 games. The Eagles have Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith still healthy on the edge, and the team drafted Jalyx Hunt in Round 3 this year. The Eagles regularly pour premium assets into their lines, but the 9-2 team is now down two regulars.
The Eagles re-upped Graham on a one-year, $4MM deal in March. This came when the club’s “Core Four” split via the retirements of Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox. Graham and Lane Johnson remain, though it has been expected the quartet would lose another member after this season. Steve Smith famously put off retirement because he suffered an injury in what was to be his exit year (2015), but it remains to be seen how Graham will handle his own late-career setback.
Drafted before the other three core Eagles linemen, Graham has 79 sacks for his career. This does not include the Super Bowl LII takedown of Tom Brady, a forced fumble that became one of the most iconic plays in Eagles history. The sequence led to the Eagles staving off the Patriots and winning their lone Super Bowl and celebrating their first championship since 1960.
Graham has started 106 games but has settled in as a rotational rusher, accumulating a career-high 11 sacks during the 2022 season — an NFC championship campaign that nearly broke the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record of 72. The Eagles finished with 70 sacks that year. Tonight marked the Michigan alum’s 206th as an Eagle — 13 more than the next-closest player (Kelce). Graham broke Chuck Bednarik‘s mark by playing a 15th season with the franchise.
Philly let Haason Reddick seek a trade, preceding what turned out to be a messy year for the accomplished sack artist, and Sweat is due for free agency in 2025. The team has Graham in place as an apparent stopgap, given his offseason retirement comments, and Huff has seen his role diminish despite signing a three-year, $51.1MM deal. It will be interesting to see how Philly goes about reassembling its pass-rushing puzzle following its two recent setbacks, and monitoring Graham’s future plans — which appear less clear now — will be necessary in the coming months.
Jets Expected To Target Experience In GM, HC Searches
Since Bill Parcells stepped down nearly 25 years ago, the Jets have leaned toward first-time head coaches. Woody Johnson‘s ownership tenure has featured seven HC hires; only one has been a retread. As they navigate another disappointing season and the slew of negative press that has come with it, the Jets look to be aiming in different direction.
Gang Green wants experience at both the HC and GM spots, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Although second-chance GMs are not overly common in today’s NFL (only two — Tom Telesco, Trent Baalke — are currently in place), retread HCs are.
[RELATED: Woody Johnson-Aaron Rodgers Drama Overblown?]
Thus far in Johnson’s tenure, only one (Adam Gase) signed on to be the Jets’ HC. And that came while Christopher Johnson was serving as acting owner. One experienced HC candidate, however, has thrown his hat in the ring already. Eager to return to the league, ESPN’s Rex Ryan — the Jets’ HC from 2009-14 — wants to return to the Jets. Ryan has not coached since the Bills fired him late in his second season.
With Woody Johnson still mentioned as returning to his role as ambassador to the United Kingdom during the second Donald Trump administration, Christopher may need to play a central role in another hire. Christopher was in charge when the Jets hired Gase (2019) and Robert Saleh (2021), but Woody will lead the searches now. The Jets want to launch their GM search now, per Jones, though they cannot interview any HC or GM candidates currently on NFL staffs until the regular season ends. For the most part, that will stall searches.
Although Jones adds the Jets are likely to have an advisor helping steer these hires without going as far as using a search firm, the obvious question of HC/GM aspirants’ willingness to work for the franchise comes up. Woody Johnson impeded since-fired GM Joe Douglas at many stops. He was believed to have blocked a substantial effort to add a quarterback following Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear last year; a year later, the owner suggested Saleh’s staff bench the four-time MVP after Week 4. Johnson also stonewalled Douglas on a Jerry Jeudy trade and meddled on the Bryce Huff and Haason Reddick contract fronts.
This has not been a good year for Johnson, whose team will undoubtedly extend the longest active NFL playoff drought to 14 seasons soon. A habit of listening to non-football staffers has added to Johnson’s list of shortcomings, and Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline adds the 77-year-old owner is not well regarded in most aspects around the league. The consensus in the aftermath of the Douglas ouster has been for the criticized owner to hire a presence to check his meddling, but staffers around the NFL do not expect Jets ownership to cede that much power.
As Douglas had expressed a disenchantment with Johnson for years, per Pauline, the Jets may need to dole out a higher salary to replace their six-year GM. The team is believed to be prepared to pay well, Jones adds, but it certainly would surprise if this job was at the top of most candidates’ lists. Rodgers boosting the Jets to a worse draft pick would also hinder the next set of Jet decision-makers, though it is now viewed as likely the team sits its high-profile QB — via IR or a straight-up benching — soon ahead of an expected 2025 divorce.
Woody Johnson’s anticipated departure for an ambassador post would stand to help mitigate the meddling issues that have resurfaced in recent days, but Christopher Johnson is not exactly a highly regarded football presence, either. The Jets will be tasked with adding another quarterback to lead what is still viewed as a talented roster.
The latter component will be a top selling point for the Johnsons, who have failed on the QB front with both veterans (Rodgers, Brett Favre) and with every rookie prospect — save for some early-career Mark Sanchez work — since Chad Pennington. After a wildly disappointing season, how Jets ownership goes about convincing quality HC and GM candidates to sign up will be one of the offseason carousels’ top storylines.