The annual league meetings got underway in Palm Beach, Florida. Aside from a memeable NFL head coaches picture, there were some things to take away from Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh’s press conference. While the Jets have been a pretty tight-lipped organization ever since Joe Douglas took charge as general manager, Saleh had some interesting things to say that could give fans some insight into how the rest of the offseason will play out. So, let’s take it quote by quote to try to decipher what the next step for the Jets is going to be.
“He is a special player with a special skill set” – Robert Saleh on Tyreek Hill
As I mentioned in my previous article about why the Jets should draft Jameson Williams, New York is looking for speed. Saleh really did not mince words here; they want to be faster and missing out on Hill will only make them search harder in other avenues to find a backup option.
“Joe Douglas will take out his baseball bat and swing” – Saleh on players that could become available before the draft
This was the most notable comment of the press conference. It seems like the Jets know something that we do not. Yes, there have been rumors of Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf, and A.J. Brown all being targets in the last few days. But it is hard to imagine Saleh making these comments without knowledge that a big trade could be possible. Of course, if any of these players become available, there will be a host of teams with strong interest, but unlike with Tyreek Hill, the Jets actually have strong connections to all of these players. Elijah Moore was a college teammate of both Metcalf and Brown at Ole Miss. Corey Davis played with Brown for the Titans as well. Mike LaFleur was the passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach for Samuel in San Francisco. If any of these players do in fact become available, which does seem increasingly likely, the Jets will surely not be outbid.
“We’re going to go into a bare-knuckle boxing match” – Saleh on him and Douglas and whether the team will go OL or DL at number four overall
Though Robert Saleh was joking when he made this comment, there definitely is a ring of truth to it. Offensive line is seemingly not a need after signing Laken Tomlinson, but after Saleh said he was unsure about Mekhi Becton’s status for OTAs, there seems to be a chance that the organization could select Ekonwu or Neal knowing Douglas’ affinity for offensive line. The Jets’ desire to fortify the trenches aligns with their desperation to trade for a wideout. If they are able to land a star receiver without giving up one of their two first round picks, then both Douglas and Saleh can get their wish and strengthen their favorite positions with top prospects.
The Wrap-up
The Jets made a couple of minor moves today, signing DT Solomon Thomas and re-signing kicker Eddy Piniero. The Thomas signing helps with the depth on the defensive line but will surely not affect their plans to target an edge rusher early in the draft. While Saleh mentioned that he expects Carl Lawson back for training camp, he will want to add a partner for him on the edge. The Piniero signing means that the Jets will have a kicking competition between the incumbent and Greg Zuerlein. Kicker has been a rough spot for the team ever since they let go of Jason Myers, so hopefully the competition will result in a consistency at the position in 2022. Overall, there was a lot to digest from this press conference at the league meetings. If you are going to take anything away, keep your Twitter notifications on for news of a potential Jets trade; they are going to be aggressive.
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