The biggest addition of the New York Jets offseason in 2023 was the trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but the team was also active in NFL free agency. One year later, the team is hopeful to get very different results from a new set of Jets free agent targets in 2024.
Fortunately, New York is still relatively well-positioned to add more talent this offseason. The NFL salary cap is higher than expected and with a few salary-cap casualties and contract restructured, the Jets will have just enough room to address some of their needs in NFL free agency.
- New York Jets cap space 2024: $20.705 million
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Let’s dive into our Jets free agent targets for the 2024 offseason.
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback
The Jets should spare no expense when it comes to addressing their backup quarterback spot for the 2024 season. That’s not to suggest the club should go after Baker Mayfield, but New York would be wise to pursue a proven quarterback who could play effectively in multiple starts if needed. Jacoby Brissett is that guy.
- Jacoby Brissett stats (2022-23): 92.6 QB rating, 7.2 yards per attempt, 15-6 TD-INT ratio, 64.8 percent completion rate in 19 games
In 2022 when the Cleveland Browns needed someone to keep the team afloat during the Deshaun Watson suspension, Brissett did that and more. According to RBSDM.com, Brissett posted the third-best Completion Rate Over Expectation (2.9) and he was right behind Jared Goff and Tom Brady in Success Rate (48.3 percent) all with the 10th-highest EPA per Play (0.115). Brissett should’ve been the Jets backup quarterback last year and they can’t miss out on him again in NFL free agency a year later.
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Odell Beckham Jr, wide receiver
This might not be a popular choice among potential Jets free agent targets at wide receiver. New York pursued Odell Beckham Jr. last offseason and the two sides seemed to be close on a partnership before things broke off. Fans will also point to Beckham Jr’s production with the Baltimore Ravens – 565 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 14 games – as evidence he can’t be trusted as an important wideout on a Super Bowl contender.
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However, there are some numbers worth highlighting courtesy of Pro Football Focus. After shaking off the rust in his return from an ACL tear and a year away from football, Beckham Jr. posted the fourth-highest yards per route run (2.93) among qualified receivers from Weeks 8-14, earning a 118.6 QB rating when he was targeted. If we wind the clock back further, those numbers are similar to what Beckham Jr. did during the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021 (2.55 yards per route run and a 141.3 QB rating when targeted). Don’t sleep on what he can do for the Jets’ offense and you know Rodgers wants him.
Kamren Curl, safety
Part of the rationale behind our cost-effective Jets free agent targets at the top of our list is to free up money at other positions. The safety market is flooded in NFL free agency and there are veteran players who fit with a win-now window. However, we want the best of both worlds as Kamren Curl also fits perfectly with New York’s young defensive core.
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Kamren Curl is just entering his age-25 season, aligning perfectly with the young Jets’ secondary. Once a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Kurl has emerged as one of the most underrated defensive backs in the NFL. The 6-foot-2 safety is excellent in coverage and he’s a very good run defender. In New York, Curl could become a top-12 safety and serve as the final piece in the best defense in football next season.
David Bakhtiari, left tackle
The Green Bay Packers haven’t officially released David Bakhtiari, but that is the expectation. Once one of the best left tackles in the NFL, lagging knee injuries have kept him off the field for the majority of the last three seasons. That does invite risk for New York, but there also isn’t an offensive tackle available this offseason outside of the 2024 NFL Draft that can match Bakhtiari’s upside.
Plus, we have still seen him play at a high level when he is on the field. From 2022-’23, Bakthari posted a PFF Pass Blocking Efficiency near 99.0, near the same levels he reached as a perennial All-Pro at left tackle. He’s not as strong as a run blocker, but elite pass protection is what the Jets need. Plus, with the Packers covering a chunk of his guaranteed salary in 2024, he could sign a team-friendly deal to reunite with Rodgers and that would allow New York to spend more on a swing tackle in the event Bakhtiari gets hurt.
