The NFL’s legal tampering period begins on Monday. That is the point where free agents can start negotiating contracts with all teams. Prior to the legal tampering period, players are only allowed to negotiate with their current team.
Across the league teams will look to lock in pending free agents at the last minute to avoid them hitting the market.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini provides an update on pending Jets free agents and how the team plans to deal with them.
Today is the last full day for teams for re-sign their own FAs before they hit the market tomorrow at noon. #Jets not expected to do any deals with their most notable FAs before then. There’s interest in retaining G Alijah Vera-Tucker, G John Simpson and K Nick Folk, but they will allow those players to shop around. Despite his injury history, AVT is expected to have a market.
There’s also interest in bringing back WR John Metchie (non-tendered FA). LB Quincy Williams isn’t expected to be back; he will have suitors. Jets’ lengthy FA list includes QB Tyrod Taylor, S Tony Adams, S Andre Cisco, DE Micheal Clemons, DB Isaiah Oliver, KR Kene Nwangwu, FB Andrew Beck, OT Max Mitchell, DT Jay Tufele, WR Josh Reynolds.
If Cimini is to be believed, we shouldn’t expect twenty-third hour deal of significance to beat the deadline. While the Jets have some free agents they are interested in keeping, the report suggests they will be allowed to hit the open market. The Jets seem to be hoping the market won’t be robust.
I get the sense for Vera-Tucker in particular that valuations will vary wildly from team to team. There might be teams willing to make a big financial investment based on his quality play and others scared off by his injury history.
