On the day after the Jets’ season ends, Joe Douglas should show up for work in a hard hat.
The Jets general manager has a major renovation to undertake over the coming months. Douglas knew this when he took the job in June and that is why he held out for a six-year contract. The holes on the roster left behind by Mike Maccagnan have been glaring during this 5-9 season and now Douglas and his staff must try to figure out how to get better as quickly as possible.
The goal for 2020 should be ending the nine-year playoff drought. It should be emphasized throughout every level of the organization starting from ownership all the way through the front office, coaches’ offices and the locker room. This is the second-longest playoff drought in team history and the first time since 1962-65 that the Jets have had four consecutive losing seasons.
For Douglas to bring the Jets out of these doldrums, he needs to arm Adam Gase with a better roster next year. To me, there are four key areas of need to address.
Here is a look at each of them:
Offensive Line
Jets free agents: Ryan Kalil, Kelvin Beachum, Tom Compton, Brent Qvale, Alex Lewis, Brandon Shell
Top unrestricted free agents: Brandon Scherff, Anthony Castonzo, Joe Thuney, D.J. Humphries, Jack Conklin
Top draft prospects: Andrew Thomas, Alex Leatherwood, Tyler Biadasz
There is no position that needs a bigger upgrade than the O-line. The Jets could have four new starters next year. Of their own free agents, I think Lewis is the only one they should bring back. They also can cut Brian Winters, who is currently on injured reserve.
Douglas is going to need to hit the line hard in free agency and the draft. Scherff, the guard from the Redskins, seems like a logical target for the Jets. I think the Jets keep Lewis as a starter and try to draft two starters and sign another two. If they can’t find a center, Jonotthan Harrison could return as the starter.
The Jets have not drafted a lineman in the first round since 2006 when they took D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. That should change this year.
Marcus Peters; Tyler Biadasz; Amari CooperGetty (2), APWide Receiver
Jets free agents: Robby Anderson, Demaryius Thomas
Top unrestricted free agents: Amari Cooper, A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders
Top draft prospects: Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III
Sam Darnold needs some better weapons on the outside. Anderson has made a push over the past month to be brought back, but it could come down to the price tag for him.
This is a deep draft for receivers, according to the draft experts, so Douglas could find one with one of his two third-round picks.
Sanders has a history with Gase, but how much does he have left?
Green has missed the entire season with a foot issue. Will that drive his price down? Do you take the risk?
Edge Rusher
Jets free agents: Jordan Jenkins, Brandon Copeland
Top unrestricted free agents: Jadeveon Clowney, Yannick Ngakoue, Bud Dupree, Shaq Barrett, Matthew Judon, Dante Fowler, Whitney Mercilus
Top draft prospects: Chase Young, Isaiah Simmons, Terrell Lewis
The Jets have had a hole at pass rusher since John Abraham was traded away. Good ones usually don’t hit free agency, so that list above is probably going to be much smaller as teams re-sign their players.
If I’m Douglas, I am looking at the second tier of the edge-rusher market. The top guys always get overpaid but there could be a bargain to be found after the initial funny money is thrown around. I also think they bring back Jenkins.
Cornerback
Jets free agents: Brian Poole, Maurice Canady
Top unrestricted free agents: Marcus Peters, Byron Jones, Chris Harris, James Bradberry
Top draft prospects: Jeff Okudah, Paulson Adebo, CJ Henderson
The only way I think the Jets pass on an offensive lineman with their first pick is if they think they can get an elite corner like Okudah. He probably will be gone before the Jets pick, though.
It looks like there will be some good ones on the free-agent market. Do the Jets spend some money on one corner and then hope Bless Austin, who has played well this year, can man the other side? Poole is a no-brainer to bring back.
The roster renovation won’t be easy. When Douglas shows up on Dec. 30, he better have his hard hat ready. He has a lot of work to do.



