More On: marcus maye
Jets played hardball with Marcus Maye — setting up intriguing season
Jets franchise tag Marcus Maye amid agent tension
The Jets never had any intention of seeing Marcus Maye play for anyone else this season and took a strong step Monday to keep Maye on board, placing the franchise tag on their talented safety, The
The Jets never had any intention of seeing Marcus Maye play for anyone else this season and took a strong step Monday to keep Maye on board, placing the franchise tag on their talented safety, The Post confirmed.
The tag, worth about $11 million for the 2021 season, will keep Maye off the open market in NFL free agency when it begins March 15, as the Jets continue to try to hammer out a long-term deal for their 2017 second-round draft pick. They have until July 15 to get something done, or else Maye plays on the one-year tag.
He will not want to do so. Maye, 28, wants a multiyear commitment. His agent, Erik Burkhardt, hit Twitter last week complaining that the Jets have so much money to spend under the salary cap — possibly as much as $80 million — “yet refuse to take care of their best player.’’
The tag for Maye comes as no surprise. General manager Joe Douglas last week said Maye is “a valuable member of this organization,’’ lauding him for being “a pro’s pro, smart, he’s been reliable and he’s provided outstanding leadership. Our plan hasn’t changed. We are in the process of working to have Marcus be here long term.’’
After the relationship last season went sour with star safety Jamal Adams, resulting in Adams getting shipped to the Seahawks, the Jets could not part ways with Maye.
It was a career year for Maye in 2020. He had 82 combined tackles, 11 passes defended, two forced fumbles, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. These were all career highs and he played in all 16 games for the third time in his four years with the Jets.
The Jets went 2-14, but Maye late in the season stressed he wanted to stay around for the rebuild.
“Just being here four years, stepping in Day 1, I’ve loved this place,” Maye said. “I’ve enjoyed the people here, the teammates. Even though there have been a lot of changes throughout my years here, I’ve always been the same person. I’ve always shown up to work excited and ready to go try to win a game for the Jets.”
Maye will continue to show up for work as a key player on defense for new head coach Robert Saleh.
This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Paul Schwartz
