How Jets gained some flexibility after NFL free agency

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Jets general manager Joe Douglas recapped his free-agency attack on Wednesday, saying the team wants to be “strategic and disciplined.” “I feel like we needed to really build a foundation moving forward of the right type of people and the right kind of depth on our team,” Douglas said on a conference call with reporters. …

Jets general manager Joe Douglas recapped his free-agency attack on Wednesday, saying the team wants to be “strategic and disciplined.”

“I feel like we needed to really build a foundation moving forward of the right type of people and the right kind of depth on our team,” Douglas said on a conference call with reporters. “I feel like all the best teams in the National Football League, they have really good depth.”

The Jets signed 14 players in free agency, seven new guys and seven of their own players. None got long-term or big-money deals. Douglas clearly wanted to spread the available money around and not fall into the free-agency trap of overspending.

“We also wanted to be disciplined financially,” said Douglas, who is working from his home because of the coronavirus pandemic. “I feel really confident that we were able to do that through the first few weeks of free agency. I think that financial discipline is going to play a big role in helping us build a team that ultimately has flexibility moving forward and to be a team that has continued and long-term success.”

The biggest area of need for the Jets entering the offseason was obvious: the offensive line. Douglas added tackle George Fant, guard Greg Van Roten, center Connor McGovern and brought back guard Alex Lewis. None are stars, but Douglas hopes they can protect quarterback Sam Darnold better than last year’s group.

When speaking about each, Douglas emphasized their ability to play multiple positions and said the best five will play.

“I feel good about the football instincts, the versatility, the toughness that we brought into that group,” Douglas said.

Their biggest free-agent loss was wide receiver Robby Anderson — who signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Panthers. Douglas did not get into specifics about why the Jets did not re-sign Anderson.

“Robby was a really good player here,” he said. “He really helped us tremendously down the stretch last year. I’m happy for Robby that he’s able to get the money that he got. I wish him well going back to play for his college coach at Temple, Matt Rhule in Carolina. It’s a real credit for him being an undrafted free agent and how he developed and where he is now. It’s a credit to his hard work.”

The Jets replaced Anderson with Breshad Perriman on a one-year, $8 million deal. Douglas scouted Perriman with the Ravens, who took Perriman in the first round of the 2015 draft.

Perriman flopped in Baltimore, but came on toward the end of last season with the Buccaneers.

“He has a unique size-and-speed combo,” Douglas said. “Obviously, his career trajectory was different than most first-rounders. I think you’ve seen it in the back half of two years ago with Cleveland and then at the end of this year. You’d be hard-pressed to find a receiver who had better numbers than Brashad. I’m really excited about his speed, his ability to take the top off the defense. I feel like he can come in here and make an impact. I feel like he’ll be able to develop chemistry with Sam moving forward.”

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Douglas, who was hired as GM last June, has emphasized character since he arrived in Florham Park. He said that was a critical part of the approach to free agency.

“We looked for players that not only could come in and contribute immediately, but like I’ve said many times before, would fit the culture that me, Adam [Gase] coach [Gregg] Williams, that everyone is putting into place,” Douglas said. “It was important for us to bring those quality players that have their own level of toughness, intelligence, versatility. It was important for us to bring in those types of players and bring them in on fair-market deals.”

Douglas and his staff are now preparing for the draft, which begins April 23. He feels they are in good position for the draft after what they did in free agency.

“We feel like these signings give us flexibility in the draft,” he said. “It allows us to make decisions that we believe are in the best interest of the Jets.”