FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Buckeye reunion: Do dreams have an expiration date?
Three years ago, wide receiver Garrett Wilson faced a crowd of reporters at the NFL scouting combine and told the world he'd love to reunite with his first quarterback at Ohio State, Justin Fields.
"If that would happen, that would be awesome," Wilson said that day, two months before he was drafted by the Jets. "I haven't really thought about where I'd be playing. Anywhere would be a blessing. Definitely, to link back up with Justin -- and to do that on the NFL level -- would be a dream come true, for sure."
It wasn't a realistic possibility at the time -- the Chicago Bears had no first-round pick in 2022, having used it the previous year to trade up for Fields -- but it's real now. The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract, ostensibly to replace Aaron Rodgers.
Wilson has told friends he's thrilled with the addition of Fields. It's no secret that he and Rodgers didn't see eye to eye last season, but now he has a quarterback he knows and respects. They've maintained a good relationship, another reason Wilson is said to be excited about 2025.
Wilson and Fields were teammates in 2019 and 2020, connecting on 66 receptions for 1,031 yards and nine touchdowns over 22 games. One of the plays was perhaps the most acrobatic catch of Wilson's career -- a mid-air magic act against Clemson in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.
They had a good thing in Columbus, Ohio, but it's worth noting that Wilson was more productive with C.J. Stroud as his quarterback -- 66 catches for 934 yards and 12 TDs in 10 games -- the following season. Numbers aside, Wilson has spoken glowingly about Fields' leadership, saying he galvanized the team during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
"Even when we thought we weren't going to have a season, he kept the spirit up and always kept us prepared to go," Wilson told ESPN in 2022. "He made sure the receivers were getting their work in. When the season came around and we got to play, I felt like it came together really well because of those reasons."
Fields, on his third team in five years, hasn't been able to replicate his college success in the NFL. At least now he'll be throwing to a couple of familiar faces -- Wilson and tight end Jeremy Ruckert, another former Ohio State teammate.
2. Finally got him: Jets senior football adviser Rick Spielman was a big fan of Fields when he came out of college in 2021. Spielman was the Minnesota Vikings' GM, and he reportedly tried to trade up for Fields, who wound up going to the Bears with the No. 11 overall pick.
3. Hot corner: The biggest question mark among the Jets' newcomers is former Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens, who was burned often last season and incurred the wrath of Baltimore fans. He didn't come cheaply; he received a reported three-year, $36 million contract to replace D.J. Reed (Detroit Lions).
A former GM, who has studied him closely, said Stephens "can't find the ball and people went after him." In fact, he had no interceptions despite being targeted 98 times as the nearest defender, the fifth-highest total in the league, per Next Gen Stats. He allowed 63 receptions for 858 yards and four touchdowns -- bloated numbers for a corner.
But here's the weird thing, nearly 34% of his targets were tight-window throws (less than one yard separation), eighth highest (minimum: 250 coverage snaps). That stat suggests good coverage, but it supports the premise that he's lacking in ball skills.
4. Pricey exodus: Teams that finish 5-12 usually don't have a lot of desirable players, but the first couple of days of free agency proved otherwise for the 2024 Jets.
Five players were scooped up quickly by other teams, landing contracts worth a combined $175 million -- Reed ($48 million), defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw ($45 million), wide receiver Davante Adams ($44 million), tackle Morgan Moses ($24 million) and linebacker Haason Reddick ($14 million).
The upside is the Jets should get a compensatory pick in the 2026 draft, a rarity (only 17 comp picks since 1994, the second fewest). Over The Cap projects a fourth-round pick for Reddick, which would almost offset what he cost them in the first place -- a 2026 third-round pick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
5. Hanging around? One of the early surprises in free agency is that wide receiver Allen Lazard remains on the roster. He had permission to seek a trade, but that didn't yield anything. Many assume he will be released because of his cap charge ($13.2 million).
Considering the dearth of proven receivers on the roster and the lack of quality in the free agent market, it would be prudent to keep Lazard, perhaps reworking his contract. He and Wilson are the only two pass catchers (wideouts and tight ends) with more than one touchdown reception last season.
6. '21 Club: GM Darren Mougey must have been a big fan of the 2021 draft. Of the new players, six were selected that year -- Fields (first round), Myers (second), Stephens (third), safety Andre Cisco (third), defensive end Rashad Weaver (fourth) and defensive tackle Jay Tufele (fourth). There's also linebacker Jamien Sherwood (fifth), who returned to the Jets on a three-year, $45 million contract.
Moral of the story? As he reshapes the roster, Mougey is placing an emphasis on youth, players coming off their rookie contract.
7. He can throw, too: New tight end Stone Smartt has an interesting backstory. He's relatively new to the position, having played it for only four years -- his final season at Old Dominion and three years with the Los Angeles Chargers. Before tight end, he was a quarterback.
He once threw 31 touchdowns in a season for Riverside City College in California, a junior college where he played for Tom Craft, the same guy who coached Mougey and Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand at San Diego State. Mougey himself was a former QB-turned-pass catcher in college.
8. What next for the captain? Linebacker C.J. Mosley wasn't released with a "failed physical" designation, so he's presumably healthy after missing significant time last season with a herniated disc in his neck. Mosley, who turns 33 on June 19, apparently isn't ready to retire. He's still looking for a team.
He'd probably have a job if Bill Belichick still were in the league. The former New England Patriots coach always lavished praise upon Mosley, once calling him "one of the best, most instinctive players in the league."
9. Bonus money: The NFL announced performance-based-pay bonuses, which are based on salary level and playing time. Sherwood received a league-high $1,092,205. The lowest amount on the Jets was wide receiver Brandon Smith, who got $1,004 for playing precisely one snap. Kicker Spencer Shrader had five plays (three kickoffs and two fields goal) and made an extra $4,927.
Nice work if you can get it.
10. Class dismissed: The Jets' 2020 draft is officially kaput. Third-round safety Ashtyn Davis left the Jets to sign with the Miami Dolphins, meaning all nine selections that year are gone.
It will be remembered as one of the least productive Jets drafts in recent memory, Joe Douglas' first as GM, but it did produce two Super Bowl champions: first-round tackle Mekhi Becton and sixth-round punter Braden Mann. They, of course, were crowned as members of the Eagles.