New York Jets: Reaction To ESPN's Top Offseason Move

The New York Jets had to be shrewd with their moves this offseason without much in the way of cap space, but came away with a potential steal in trading for Ryan Clady from the Denver Broncos.

The New York Jets just missed the playoffs in the 2015 season, finishing with a 10-6 record and missing out because of tiebreakers. That made this offseason an important one, as the Jets would look to continue shaping their roster to get them over the hump in the AFC.

They would find that to be a tall task, as they were cash strapped right from the start. After having an almost unlimited supply of money in his first season on the job, Mike Maccagnan had nowhere near the resources this season. He would have to say goodbye to some helpful veterans from last season, such as Chris Ivory and Damon Harrison who left as free agents and longtime tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired.

Maccagnan did not have much money to replace those players, but did his best to do so. He landed veterans such as Matt Forte, Steve McLendon and Jarvis Jenkins. But, the retirement of Ferguson left the Jets with a major hole along their offensive line late in free agency.

As a result, the free agent wire was barren of impact players along the offensive line. While Ferguson’s performance was waning in recent seasons, he was still extremely durable, never missing a game or even a player because of injury during his 10-year NFL career.

With no option as free agents, the Jets turned to the trade market. They would end up acquiring Ryan Clady from the Denver Broncos, as he became expendable once the Broncos signed Russell Okung.

Over at ESPN’s NFL Nation, each team’s reporter picked the move they thought was the best for the team they cover. Rich Cimini covers the Jets, and his pick was the acquisition of Clady to replace Ferguson at left tackle. Here is what he had to say about the move:

"Trading for the four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Clady could be a steal for the Jets. They didn’t give up much (a fifth-round pick), the contract is reasonable and he could return to a Pro Bowl level, if healthy. D’Brickashaw Ferguson’s unexpected retirement in April put the Jets in a tough spot, but they did well to acquire Clady, who missed all of the 2015 season after tearing an ACL last May. He could be an upgrade."

New York Jets: Reaction To ESPN’s Top Offseason Move

By Kenneth Teape | May 17, 2016

The New York Jets had to be shrewd with their moves this offseason without much in the way of cap space, but came away with a potential steal in trading for Ryan Clady from the Denver Broncos.