New York Jets: 4 internal free agents to keep and 4 to let walk away
By Ed Stein
On the fence
Among the pending Jets free agents, there are a few players who could go either way.
Robby Anderson WR, UFA (27-years-old, 2019 salary – $3.1M)
Robby Anderson might be the most frustrating player on the New York Jets roster. One moment he burns his man downfield to make a great catch. At other moments he is almost invisible. The talent is obviously there, it’s his inconsistency that drives Gang Green fans completely nuts.
Last year, Jets quarterbacks threw to him 96 times and he caught 52 balls for 779 yards and five touchdowns. That was right in line with his four-year career averages 51.8 receptions, 765 yards, and five TDS.
Those would be good numbers for a number two receiver, but Anderson is technically the team’s number one receiver. Keep in mind Anderson has broken 800 receiving yards in a season only once (2017). Then again his ability to break a long play at any time is rare. When deciding whether or not to resign the speedy wideout, Douglas has to weigh the results against Anderson’s tremendous potential. This one will come down to what number 11 thinks he’s worth on the open market and if he’s willing to give NYJ a hometown discount.
Brandon Copeland, DE/LB, UFA (29, $1.75M)
On the plus side for Brandon Copeland, it’s a seller’s market for defensive linemen/pass rushers. He will get a raise from 2019’s $1.75M, but it may not be a very substantial one. When negotiating his contract, it may come down to the number of years as much as it is for the amount of money.
As with anything the price has to be right but he has been a solid if not spectacular player for the Jets. After beginning the season hurt, Copland played in 11 games with least two-thirds of the defensive snaps in seven of them. It won’t be easy to replace his dependability as well as his 35 tackles.
We move on to the Clash section or who should stay and who should go. Counting toward the most important decisions.