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Jets WR Xavier Gipson In Line For Starting Role?

June 29th, 2024 at 8:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Upon joining the Jets as an undrafted free agent last year, Xavier Gipson managed to carve out a special teams role. As his rookie season progressed, though, he also saw increased usage as a receiver. That could have him in line for significant snaps to begin the 2024 campaign.

Gipson served as New York’s primary returner in 2023, and that role is likely be his again this season. The 23-year-old racked up 830 yards between his kick and punt returns, and his third phase contributions were of course highlighted by his game-winning touchdown in Week 1. In the latter half of the campaign, Gipson became a regular on offense and that could remain the case in the fall.

Spring practices pointed to Gipson having a lead on the starting slot receiver role over third-round rookie Malachi Corley, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. The latter established himself as a unique member of 2024’s highly regarded receiver class especially based on his production after the catch. That should allow Corley to thrive in the slot, but if he takes time to acclimate to the pro game Gipson could maintain a first-team role. The S.F. Austin alum posted 221 yards on 29 receptions last year.

That production came from a 45% offensive snap percentage, and an uptick in usage (coupled with, of course, a healthy season for Aaron Rodgers) could lead to a notable offensive output from Gipson. New York has Garrett Wilson atop the depth chart, and free agent signing Mike Williams will provide the team with a vertical threat. While Breece Hall is set to shoulder a large workload in the backfield, a complementary role should await Gipson if he has a strong training camp.

The competition for a first-team slot role will be worth watching as the summer unfolds. Even if Corley manages to win it, however, Gipson should still be able to make an impact in the return game. As his rookie season showed, a spot in the receiver pecking order would be reasonable as well.

Jets S Chuck Clark In Line For Starting Role

June 27th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Last offseason, the Jets acquired Chuck Clark via trade but he was sidelined for the entire year due to an ACL tear. The veteran safety was re-signed in March, though, allowing him to compete for a starting role.

The free agent departure of Jordan Whitehead created a first-team vacancy at the safety position, and New York held an open competition between Clark, Tony Adams and Ashtyn Davis during the spring. One of the latter two will also hold down a starting spot, but Clark is on track to log full-time defensive duties in 2024. The 29-year-old is firmly in the lead atop the depth chart entering training camp, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes.

Clark was expected to log significant defensive snaps (in addition to a large special teams workload) upon arrival last year, but his ACL tear occurred during OTAs. That injury – the first major one of his career – limited his market value, and it came as no surprise when he took a low-cost deal to remain in New York. The former sixth-rounder inked a one-year, $2MM pact to play for the Jets in 2024.

Adams took on a first-team role in Clark’s absence during the 2023 campaign. While he collected three interceptions and five pass deflections across 15 games, Costello notes some within the organization sought better consistency from the former UDFA. Adams, 25, held down a first-team role during the spring and as such he should be expected to handle a heavy workload again this season.

Costello adds that Davis could still unseat Clark for a first-team spot, and like all other positions training camp could lead to changes on the depth chart. Still, the latter is a veteran of 63 starts, and he was a mainstay on the backend for the Ravens from 2019-22. Davis (who re-signed on a one-year deal in April) has made 21 starts in his career, but only five of those have come in the past two seasons. He should still be in line for a rotational defensive workload and a key special teams role even if Clark stays ahead of him in the race for a starting spot.

Jets To Manage LT Tyron Smith’s Training Camp Workload

June 24th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Entering the offseason, questions were in place regarding how the Jets would proceed along the offensive line. Both tackle spots have seen veteran additions, although in the case of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses injuries remain a concern.

Smith established himself as one of the league’s top blindside protectors over the course of his 13-year Cowboys tenure. That period was frequently marred by injuries, however, and the 2010s All-Decade team member last played more than 13 games in a season in 2015. Smith inked a one-year, incentive-laden Jets deal in March.

The 33-year-old is on track to serve as New York’s left tackle starter, an important position considering quarterback Aaron Rodgers is coming off an Achilles tear which sidelined him for essentially his entire debut season with the Jets. Smith’s workload during training camp will be an important factor in his ability to acclimate to his new team. To little surprise, though, the Jets will proceed with caution in his case.

New York will include several rest days in Smith’s practice schedule this summer, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The eight-time Pro Bowler has missed 37 games across the past four years, appearing in just two contests in 2020 and four in 2022. Remaining healthy would be a critical development for team and player, although the Jets did use their top pick in this year’s draft on tackle Olu Fashanu as a future left tackle starter capable of seeing time as a rookie if needed.

Smith – who had discussions with the Cowboys about a new deal but did not come close on financial terms – will of course help his free agent value with a strong season. A key first step in that regard will be remaining on the field for most of the 2024 campaign, and a training camp regimen aimed at preserving him would mirror the approach Dallas used last year while increasing his chances of being effective down the stretch.

As Rosenblatt notes, Moses (re-acquired to handle right tackle duties) did not practice this spring as he recovers from pectoral surgery. Guard Alijah Vera-Tucker meanwhile, is rehabbing from an Achilles tear although there is optimism he will be ready for the start of the season. There will likely be few practices this summer where all five projected Jets O-line starters are on the field at the same time, but in Smith’s case at least that will be by choice.

Jets Release CB Tae Hayes

June 24th, 2024 at 1:40pm CST by Ely Allen

JUNE 24: Hayes’ Jets tenure has come to an end. The team announced on Monday he has been released.

JUNE 23: Since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019, cornerback Tae Hayes has been a journeyman as a depth piece in the NFL. The challenge of staying on NFL rosters will get a bit more difficult for Hayes after he was reportedly arrested this morning for marijuana possession, per Charean Williams of NBC Sports.

Coming undrafted out of Appalachian State, Hayes signed first with the Jaguars. He has since spent time with the Dolphins, Vikings, Cardinals, Panthers, Birmingham Stallions (USFL), Panthers again, Patriots, Lions, Ravens, and Jets. After his first two stops, Hayes has failed to stay in a single place for more than five months. In fact, his stints in Detroit and Baltimore each lasted less than a month, with both stints spanning from August 4 to September 12 last year.

Anywhere Hayes has gone, he’s functioned as a depth piece for the defense, either appearing in minimal snaps and special teams or playing as an emergency option. In his career, he’s appeared in games for six of the above teams, tallying 14 game appearances, 18 total tackles, two passes defensed, and a fumble recovery.

The arrest occurred in Hayes’ home state of Alabama just before four o’clock in the morning. He was released a little over an hour later after posting a $300 bond. The Jets released a statement saying that they are aware of the incident, but they are refraining from comment since it’s a pending legal matter.

Jets Optimistic About Haason Reddick Resolution; Summer Extension Unlikely

June 19th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Qualifying the second-most discussed no-show at Jets minicamp, Haason Reddick is still not seeing eye-to-eye with his new team. While Aaron Rodgers‘ absence last week garnered more attention, Reddick’s situation remains the lead item for a Jets team that gave up a third-round pick for the Pro Bowl edge rusher earlier this offseason.

Reddick is seeking a new contract, and while the Jets are open to taking this route, this does not appear the way the team wants to resolve this situation. It should be considered highly unlikely the Jets extend Reddick before the season, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello, who does not see any situation in which the team caves on this front this summer.

A report last week from ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini alluded to Jets GM Joe Douglas being hesitant to do extensions for players 29 and older or immediately extending recently acquired talent. Reddick, who will turn 30 in September, checks both boxes. While teams regularly have extensions ready for high-end players acquired via trade, the Jets are clearly aiming to avoid this with Reddick.

The team may not strictly view the former Cardinals, Panthers and Eagles edge rusher as a pure rental, but its actions thus far do not paint a picture of a club eager to extend this partnership beyond 2024. This differs from the paths the Giants (Brian Burns), Bears (Montez Sweat) and Dolphins (Bradley Chubb) took upon acquiring impact edge rushers via trade. Immediate extensions were authorized. Though, each player was at least two years younger than Reddick at the time those deals were finalized.

The Jets passed on paying Bryce Huff in free agency, but the team has bigger plans for Reddick — whom it views as a three-down player. The Eagles and Jets effectively swapped Huff and Reddick, though the latter is holding its new edge defender to his Philly contract (three years, $45MM) despite the Pro Bowler’s 50.5 sacks — with 13 forced fumbles mixed in — during the 2020s ranking fourth in the NFL. It will be interesting if Reddick attempts to further test the Jets by staging a holdout or if he shows up to training camp and does not practice, the new hold-in strategy.

Despite this unusual situation, Costello adds the sides are optimistic a resolution will emerge before training camp. Robert Saleh mentioned a conversation with the team’s new sack artist recently, and Costello indicates this situation differs from the bitter Jamal Adams contract talks that eventually produced a trade. Still, this is not exactly a good look for a Jets team that traded a Day 2 pick for a two-time Pro Bowler.

New York also unloaded dependable starter John Franklin-Myers to make room for Reddick’s contract, which sits tied for 19th among edges presently. Reddick will be expected to play the lead role in a group housing recent first-rounders Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald. An incentive package that allows the team to avoid an extension may well be the way the sides finish this chapter. Should that happen, Reddick will be headed toward free agency in 2025.

Although the Jets would have exclusive negotiating rights with Reddick until next March’s legal tampering period, their present stance does not point to an about-face regarding an extension. Reddick entering this season without a new deal will present him as a rental piece, with a route to a fifth team more likely than not to emerge come 2025.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/19/24

June 19th, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Dondrea Tillman

New York Jets

  • Waived: OL Vitaliy Gurman

Pittsburgh Steelers

After winning a UFL championship with the Birmingham Stallions, Tillman will be joining the Broncos. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the linebacker will get a three-year deal from Denver that includes a $10K signing bonus. Monday was the first day that UFL players could officially join NFL teams, and Tillman’s agent, Marty Magid, told Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette that his client received interest from a handful of squads before landing in Denver.

A former standout at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tillman went undrafted in 2019. After spending the past two years in the USFL, he caught on with the UFL for the 2024 campaign and proceeded to have a breakout season. The linebacker finished the campaign with 27 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/18/24

June 18th, 2024 at 7:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

  • Waived: WR Mathew Sexton

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: G Liam Fornadel

New York Jets

  • Signed: OL Kohl Levao

Jones-Smith brings six games of experience to Atlanta, with the offensive lineman seeing time with the Raiders (2020) and Ravens (2021). The majority of his career snaps have come on special teams. He’ll provide the Falcons with some OT depth behind Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary.

The Lions officially added former UFL kicker Jake Bates to their squad, so the team moved on from an undrafted kicker to make room. Turner spent four years at Louisville before joining Michigan for the 2023 campaign. He had a standout season for the Wolverines, converting 18 of his 21 field goal attempts and 65 of his 66 XP tries.

OL David Bakhtiari Aiming To Play Another Couple Of Years

June 18th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite being limited to only 13 games over the past three seasons, David Bakhtiari believes he can still play a few more years. During an appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast, Bakhtiari said he was “really happy” with his recovery from November knee surgery and can still contribute in 2024.

[RELATED: OL David Bakhtiari Receives Positive Health Update]

“A lot of other people wanted me to just kind of grit through it, but no one experiences what you truly experience,” Bakhtiari said (via ESPN). “Look, I’ve been gritting through it for three years. I’m in constant pain. I’m so happy now to be on the other side of it and get the actual surgery that I needed because my knee was not in a good place.”

Since tearing his ACL late in the 2020 campaign, the offensive lineman has undergone five knee surgeries. His most-recent operation followed a one-game outing with the Packers in 2023. Despite his lack of availability over the past few years, the free agent said he’s received interest from teams this offseason. The 32-year-old said he still has to overcome a handful of hurdles before he can return to the field, and he estimated that he could sign with a team at some point between the start of training camp and the start of the regular season.

“My goal right now is just to make sure that I not only fully recover but I can withstand and play the game that I want to play but also play and be there for a team no matter what,” Bakhtiari said. “I’m not a reliever guy, I am your cornerstone guy. Someone that’s not only going to play in September but in December and into February and obviously hopefully for another couple of years.”

The long-time Packers lineman was cut by the organization back in March. The former fourth-round pick got into 131 games across his 11 seasons with the organization, earning five-straight All-Pro nods. Unfortunately, his last three-plus seasons have been defined by his absences. His 2020 campaign ended early thanks to that aforementioned ACL tear, and he returned for only one game in 2021. He managed to play in 11 games during his comeback season in 2022, but he only got into one game this past year before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

Considering his connection to Green Bay and former QB Aaron Rodgers, both the Packers and Jets have been mentioned as potential suitors. However, Bakhtiari told Schefter that he isn’t anticipating joining either squad. The lineman specifically pointed to the Jets’ offseason acquisitions of veterans Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses and first-round rookie Olu Fashanu.

Ten Unsigned 2024 Draft Picks Remain

June 17th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL collectively is ahead of where it was last year with regards to draft signings. Teams have navigated the guarantee issue second-round contracts presented in recent years. Unlike 2023, when 30 players were unsigned in late June and nearly half the second round was without contracts entering July, we are down to 10 unsigned rookies from the 2024 class. Here is the lot still without NFL contracts:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

The clearest difference between this year and last comes from the second round. On June 17, 2023, half the second-rounders were unsigned. The 2011 CBA introducing the slot system has removed most of the drama from rookie-deal negotiations, but second-rounders continue to make guarantee gains. This contractual component has complicated matters for teams in the past, but that has not been the case — for the most part — this year.

A number of 2021 second-round picks remain attached to their rookie deals. Those terms illustrate the improvements Round 2 draftees have made on that front since. The Jaguars did guarantee 2021 No. 33 pick Tyson Campbell‘s first three seasons; his fourth brought $50K guaranteed. This year, the Bills needed to guarantee nearly Keon Coleman‘s entire rookie contract. Coleman has three years locked in and $1.74MM of his $2.1MM 2027 base salary is guaranteed at signing. This year’s No. 59 overall pick (Texans tackle Blake Fisher) secured more in Year 4 guarantees than Campbell’s deal contains.

A sizable gap does exist between Coleman’s final-year guarantees and those of Falcons DT Ruke Orhorhoro (No. 35 overall). The Clemson product has $966K of his $2.1MM 2024 base guaranteed. This gulf has likely caused the holdup for the Chargers and McConkey, a player who — after the exits of longtime starters Keenan Allen and Mike Williams — stands to be a central figure in the Bolts’ first Jim Harbaugh-era offense. With the top players in Round 2 on the cusp of seeing fully guaranteed deals, McConkey can set another notable precedent while gaining some additional security for himself.

First-round contracts have only been fully guaranteed en masse since 2022, when Vikings safety Lewis Cine — chosen 32nd overall — secured those terms. Though, matters like offset language still have been known to slow negotiations. Extended holdouts into training camp no longer occur among rookies, with players risking the loss of an accrued season toward free agency — a product of the 2020 CBA — by doing so. Corley and Benson were this year’s top third-round picks. The 49ers gave No. 64 overall pick Renardo Green two fully guaranteed years. That has likely caused a holdup for the Jets and Cardinals, considering the progress made via contracts agreed to by earlier draftees.

Latest On Jets, QB Aaron Rodgers

June 17th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 17: Rodgers and the Jets were in agreement with the decision to classify his minicamp absence as unexcused, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes. New York elected not to move the date of minicamp up one week, he adds, given the effects such a decision would have had on several other players. After a brief spell with Taylor guiding the first-team offense, Rodgers will be back in place for training camp.

JUNE 12: Haason Reddick‘s pursuit of a new contract qualifies as the top issue coming out of the Jets’ minicamp, but the team conspicuously does not have its future Hall of Fame quarterback on-hand for its mandatory June workouts.

Aaron Rodgers did not show for Tuesday’s minicamp opener, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes the second-year Jets QB will not take part in any of the team’s workouts this week. While Tyrod Taylor seeing more reps with his new team stands to be important given how last season went for the Jets, Rodgers making a point to urge the Jets to avoid distractions and then ending his offseason this way has naturally generated questions.

[RELATED: Jets Not Closing Door On Haason Reddick Extension]

It is not known where Rodgers is this week. The 20th-year passer reported for the Jets’ media day Monday and took a mandatory physical, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini, before leaving town. Rodgers had planned this trip during his rehab work, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes, who adds the Jets are not concerned about their QB’s absence.

Rodgers, 40, participated in the Jets’ voluntary workouts this offseason. He has also been in the team’s Nathaniel Hackett-guided offense for two years now. Rodgers also has a recent history of not showing for his team’s minicamp.

Most recently, he did so in 2021 during a months-long standoff with the Packers themed around a trade request. The parties agreed to a truce of sorts ahead of training camp. The 18-year Packer, however, did not show for his former team’s voluntary workouts in 2022. This became an issue for Green Bay, which was breaking in a few rookie wide receivers that offseason. Though, Rodgers reported for Green Bay’s mandatory minicamp that year. He was at Jets minicamp in 2023. It should be noted Rodgers won his fourth MVP award after the 2021 standoff, though his performance dipped — as the Packers moved on from Davante Adams — in 2022.

Coming off an Achilles tear sustained four plays into last season, Rodgers has acknowledged the pressure the Jets face this year. Ownership signed off on mulligans for Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, but it is widely believed the HC-GM combo is on the hot seat. The QB’s whereabouts should become known at some point, and while the Jets are downplaying the matter, this certainly represents an unusual ending to an offseason program. Rodgers has been full-go during the team’s offseason program and will continue building toward a full-fledged comeback when training camp begins.

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