The open of the Jets season is only a few days away, and we are going to lastly have some precise soccer to dissect. Till then, we’re nonetheless speaking about off-field tales surrounding the crew.
The true preparation for the 49ers begins with Thursday’s follow, when the crew actually shifts into regular-season mode. With that shift upon us, I believed it will be a superb time to have a look at a couple of of the massive tales across the crew this week.
1. The most important story in the meanwhile is the holdout of cross rusher Haason Reddick. I’ve been requested so much how I believe this can finish, and I really don’t know. I’ll say it doesn’t really feel like it’s ending in time for Reddick to play Monday evening. For him to play, I believe he must be at follow Thursday, and that’s not occurring except he immediately has a change of coronary heart.
It looks like either side are actually dug in. The Jets refuse to barter till Reddick exhibits up, and Reddick refuses to indicate up till he will get a brand new contract. Somebody goes to should blink.
In the mean time, I don’t assume Reddick has a lot leverage. His absence won’t wreck the protection — they nonetheless have loads of good gamers. Now, in the event that they fail to get strain on Brock Purdy and the QB has a monster recreation, Reddick immediately will get momentum come Tuesday morning. The coaches and entrance workplace will probably be stressed, and possibly Reddick can get the Jets to the negotiating desk.
Reddick has proven a willingness to rack up fines to the tune of greater than $2 million in coaching camp. Now, he will probably be lacking recreation checks, which will probably be about $800,000 per week. That’s going so as to add up rapidly. How lengthy can he abdomen that?
That is an attention-grabbing mess the Jets discover themselves in. I believe their protection is okay with out Reddick … for now. But when they will get to the place they’re gunning for — taking part in playoff video games in January and into February, they’ll want Reddick. Image the Jets taking part in at Arrowhead Stadium in January with Reddick and with out. Which one appears to be like a complete lot higher?
2. The Jets gave nickel cornerback Michael Carter II a three-year, $30.75 million contract extension Tuesday. You gained’t discover anybody across the crew who will not be pleased for Carter. He has been probably the most dependable gamers on the protection in his three years with the crew and probably the most well-liked gamers within the locker room.
That is the primary Joe Douglas draft choose to get a multi-year extension from the Jets. You can also make an argument he’s the very best Douglas draft choose. Douglas hit dwelling runs together with his 2022 draft class, however that was with 4 excessive draft picks. Carter was a fifth-round choice out of Duke. He’s the sort of third-day gem the Jets have failed to seek out lately.
It’s simple to miss Carter on the star-studded protection, however this contract exhibits how a lot the group appreciates him.
3. Talking of cornerback contracts, the Broncos handed Pat Surtain a four-year, $96 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback within the NFL. Sauce Gardner often is the subsequent in line for that title. Gardner is eligible for an extension after this season, his third. He absolutely will probably be trying to be the top-paid cornerback, and Surtain’s $24 million per 12 months wage is now the baseline for the Gardner contract talks. The Jets can be clever to lock up Gardner as quickly as they’ll earlier than the worth goes up once more. Barring a dramatic regression this season, Gardner has confirmed he’s one in all, if not, the very best cornerbacks in soccer.
4. The Jets introduced their captains Tuesday. The one who caught my consideration was Quinnen Williams. The choice by his teammates exhibits Williams is coming into his personal as a pacesetter. Williams has led by instance for years however has been quieter within the locker room. Final season, you could possibly see Williams taking a extra vocal function and that’s persevering with. He units the tone for the protection, and his teammates acknowledged that with this honor.
