Monday Notes
Edition #1038: Monday notes that include the official tag figures and some horrible weekend takes based on combine measurements.
Good morning ☕
I love the combine, it’s a great start to the off-season but as always you get some horrible takes as a result. I have always said that the combine is a small part of the overall evaluation, and while it can be revealing, it’s nowhere near as important as the game film.
Caleb Downs measured in a little small with his wingspan, and as a result I saw more than one person state his top 15 status is in doubt as a result. I’m hopeful that the 14 other teams agree and the man falls to #16, but despite a lot of the negativity coming from the NYG fanbase, he doesn’t get past Harbaugh at#5.
Downs did measure in smaller than many expected (although the base measurables were right about league average), but a player like Downs who brings so much to the table is not going to find his draft stock tumbling over a less than ideal measurement.
Tag Numbers Set 💲
The NFL management council officially send communication to GMs that the tag amounts for each position had been set.
Last week we received confirmation that the Jets were trying to work out a deal for Breece Hall to remain in NY for the foreseeable future. Failing the agreement of a new deal, they would use one of the tags available.
If Darren Mougey chooses the Transition tag it will cost the Jets $11.3 million next season. If they use the Franchise tag then it will cost them $14.3 million. The protection offered in terms of draft pick compensation with the Franchise tag is preferably in my mind, and $14.3 million for a man of Breece’s talent is a steal if you ask me.
🤝 Ty Simpson - Meets with Jets 🤝
When it comes to prospects that divide opinion, Ty Simpson is right up there.
After a really strong start to his season which saw him throw 21 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, Simpson faltered down the home stretch, throwing 7 touchdowns to 5 interceptions over his final 6 games.
What that did was eliminate him from the top-5 conversation, with some going as far to say that he shouldn’t be picked in the first round.
According to reports that surfaced over the weekend, Simpson was dealing with a lower back injury, an elbow injury and a fractured rib while also losing 20lbs due to a bout of gastritis.
Teams now need to decide if the real Ty Simpson is the guy they saw complete 63% of his passes for nearly 300 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 INTs against Georgia early in the season. Or is he the guy that completed 48.7% of his passes for 200 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception against Georgia later in the year.
The truth is probably somewhere in-between. But I wouldn’t hate it if the Jets took him at #16. We know that he met the Jets at the combine and I’m sure there is some mutual interest.
Simpson did throw on Saturday and I thought he looked mostly excellent.
"First off, I think I'm ready, I'm a franchise quarterback,'' Simpson said. "Alabama prepares you the most for the NFL ... The Alabama locker room is as close to an NFL locker room as you can get.''
He certainly enjoyed his meeting with the Jets coaching staff
“I really, really love the Jets,”
“It was great, You know, just talking ball [and] getting to know each other. Coach [Frank] Reich is a great, great human being. Coach [Aaron] Glenn is a super juiceful guy. You know, installing some stuff and getting to know each other, and you know, just getting on the board is what I like … Really blessed to be able to have a meeting with them. If I have an opportunity to play in New York, like I said, they’re going to get the best Ty Simpson they can get.”
Safety Surge ⚡
The lack of investment in the safety position has been a bugbear of mine for some time. But it seems as though Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn have identified that it’s a priority position to fix.
Rich Cimini mentioned that the Jets were “exploring the trade market for a safety” and Tony Pauline confirmed “Word on Wednesday is that the Jets front office has meetings scheduled at the combine with just about every agent who represents a safety that’s expected to hit the free-agent market in a few weeks,”
Pauline also did confirm: “I’m told that signing a free-agent safety wouldn’t prevent the Jets from also selecting Caleb Downs with the second pick in the draft.” and that’s not overly surprising considering how much sub-package NFL defenses play now and Glenn’s historical comments about having three safeties on the field when he was the Lions coordinator.
The Jets took Malachi Moore last year and he showed flashes of potential but the cupboard is pretty bare for the Jets. For now I’m sticking to my opinion that Alohi Gilman would be the best safety option for the Jets on the open market.
Market Developing for Alex Anzalone 📈
The one free agent who has been consistently linked with the Jets is Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone.
It makes sense. Aaron Glenn was his DC and spoke glowingly about his leadership on and off the field. The Jets likely are going to need one or two linebackers.
However don’t buy that Anzalone Jets jersey just yet. Tony Pauline confirmed that the buzz at the combine was that Anzalone’s market would be robust: “Several teams have expressed an interest in signing Anzalone to a multi-year deal as the linebacker inches towards retirement. This means the Jets may have to pay above market value to reel him in.”
When you look around the NFL at team needs, the biggest competition for Anzalone is likely to come from the Commanders, Giants, Bucs, Cowboys, Panthers, maybe the Browns and Vikings too. Denver and Chicago may be the biggest hurdles to overcome though.
Anthony Richardson - Jets fit?
Last week it was revealed that the Indianapolis Colts and Anthony Richardson has mutually agreed to seek a trade for the former #4 overall pick.
Richardson has looked nothing like the franchise QB he was drafted to be completing just 50.6% of his passes and struggling to stay on the field.
While he has the size that Frank Reich seems to covert, he doesn’t have the timing or accuracy to play in this system.
He has more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (11) and when he played consistently back in 2024, he completed 47.7% of passes for 8 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while averaging just 164.9 yards per game.
Indy have seen enough to want to move on, and the Jets should stay clear.
But that won’t stop people linking him with a move to New York. NFL.com listed the Jets as one of the best trade fits for Richardson to rebuild his career…
“The Jets make the most sense. They just spent last season hoping Justin Fields could turn into a reliable starter. Richardson will cost a lot less, since he’s still on a rookie deal, and he brings a skill set similar to that of Fields and Tyrod Taylor, last year’s backup. There are weapons to work with -- between wide receiver Garrett Wilson and the reports that the team is working to keep running back Breece Hall -- and the offensive line has improved dramatically over the last two years. Adding a cost-effective quarterback like Richardson also would give this team more financial flexibility to keep building for the future.”
I will be honest, I have next to no interest in a QB who can’t throw the ball accurately and can’t stay on the field.
Interviews
I never read too much into the prospect meetings, but even so it’s good to track.
Based on numerous reports, here is a list of players the Jets have met so far.
Texas Tech DE - David Bailey
Alabama QB - Ty Simpson
Texas A&M DT - Tyler Onyedim
Ohio State LB - Arvell Reese
Clemson DT - Peter Woods
Texas Tech DT - Lee Hunter
Miami DE - Reuben Bain Jr
Then there are too players in North Carolina Centra RB Chris Mosley and Clemson OT Tristan Leigh who they met on the All-Star circuit.
Look Again 👀
Every single year at the combine there is a player I haven’t been focusing on who puts on a performance that makes me want to go back and watch some game film. This year that player is Ja’Kobi Lane.
I watched a lot of USC games this year, but I spent the whole time looking at Makai Lemon, although it was hard to ignore Lane completely, it was Lemon I was interested in.
Then the combine rolled around and Lane arguably showed the best hands of anyone, he made multiple outstanding grabs and he just looked so clean and comfortable getting in and out of his breaks and catching the ball away from his frame. It was one of the more impressive performances on the field.
He put up a 4.47 time in the forty which is respectable, a 1.58 split which is again a respectable number. He had the 6th best vertical among receivers (40.00”), the 8th best Broad (10’9”). All this while measuring 6’4, 200lbs with the same arm length as Brandon Marshall (32 5/8”) and hands in the elite size category (10 1/2”).
All together this is an intriguing set of physical tools to go with some decent production at USC. He was overshadowed by Lemon, but Lane still brought in 49 catches for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns, and in 2024 he brought in 12 touchdowns on 43 catches. It’s also worth noting that he has a sub 10% drop rate (8 drops on 149 targets) and a 50% contested catch rate, Lincoln Riley even singled him out last year for his emerging leadership abilities.
He’s the exact kind of receiver the Jets need to be targeting.
David, yeah, like you I have been a Makai Lemon fan but I have to tell you, I saw a video of one of his interviews that’s getting a lot of negative flack and he looked stoned out of his mind! From some post combine reports he did not do well during the interview process. Oh, and yes, Jakob Lane looks like a great option if he’s there at 44. And he even blocks😂
I'm here all day long for the Sonny Styles love. He would be an interesting chess piece for Glenn given his background as a safety. Consider a team that doesn't have to jump into a new personnel grouping to show a sub package. Sonny Styles on the field as a THIRD linebacker does just that. That assumes they plan to use McDonald as a true edge and bring in another gap controlling five-tech, but that would be an interesting twist given how valuable Nickel-backs are these days.