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New York Jets Rumors: Nick Fairley A Backup Option?

By Kenneth Teape

Nov 8, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) looks on prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) looks on prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Jets Rumors: If the Jets lose Damon Harrison, they need a plan in place to replace him; could that plan include defensive lineman Nick Fairley?

New York Jets rumors have been swirling since the NFL season ended. The Jets have a lot of questions to answer with their own free agents, as their dominant defensive line could be decimated on the free agent market this season. The defensive line is the backbone of the Jets success, so they will do whatever they can to retain their players and add depth behind them.

Unfortunately, it is very unlikely the Jets will be able to retain all of their players. With very little cap space, the Jets may not be able to afford retaining Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison. Wilkerson was slapped with the franchise tag, so there is a good chance he plays with the Jets this season. But, they are still gauging his trade market and would love to pull off a tag-and-trade with a first round pick coming back to the Jets.

By deciding to tag Wilkerson, the Jets decided that he is more important to retain than Harrison, as the Jets are unlikely to be able to match the asking price of what Harrison wants. Harrison is looking to cash in on the free agent market, and there are a number of teams that have a need and a lot more cap space to use than the Jets, making their chances of retaining Harrison slim to none.

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With Harrison’s return looking unlikely, the Jets will need to set up an alternative plan to replace him on the roster. According to the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, the Jets could turn their attention to St. Louis Rams’ defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

Fairley was highly touted coming out of Auburn in 2011, as he was the 11th overall pick by the Detroit Lions. He never quite lived up to the lofty draft status, but he has been a solid player thus far in his NFL career. He played in 15 games for the Rams last season, finishing with 29 tackles and only .5 a sack as part of their defensive line rotation. He did register 5.5 and six sacks in 2012 and 2013 respectively before an injury derailed his 2014 campaign.

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Despite the lackluster stats from 2015, Fairley would be a solid addition to the Jets if they have to try and replace Harrison. He would provide a pass rushing presence from the middle of the field for Todd Bowles. He has had some off the field issues, but it is something the Jets know they can handle after the offseason they had with Sheldon Richardson last year.

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