4 potential landing spots for Cowboys DE Randy Gregory in free agency
3. New York Jets
It’s hard to imagine that any player would want to get signed by the Jets. But if this team can offer Gregory the money he deserves, he may want to head to the Big Apple anyway. Plus, the Jets have a history of throwing money at players who they think can finally make an impact on this struggling defense.
Last year, they signed Carl Lawson to a three-year, $45 million deal in hopes that he could be the first great pass rusher for the Jets in years. But, as per usual, nothing seems to go right for the Jets. Lawson had a season-ending injury in a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers in the preseason. He has yet to play a single game for New York.
Imagine a healthy Lawson and Gregory both rushing the passer and closing the pocket for the Jets. The Jets ranked dead last in the NFL in points allowed this season with 504. If they can get two guys to pressure the quarterback, cause fumbles, and get tackles for loss, Jets fans may feel some sense of relief.
#Jets salary-cap snapshot:
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) January 18, 2022
$53.9M in projected space (5th), per OTC. Top 5 cap charges in '22:
LB C.J. Mosley - $17.5M
DE Carl Lawson - $15.3M
WR Corey Davis - $13.7M
OT George Fant - $11.1M
DT Quinnen Williams - $10.6M
Mosley, Williams on holdover deals from previous regime.
Luckily for the Jets, they have a ton of cap room. With Zach Wilson giving the franchise a small amount of offensive hope on a rookie contract, the Jets may choose to use their saved money on more defensive threats after splurging on Corey Davis last offseason.
This team needs a lot more help than just one player can add, but signing Gregory could be a good start.