New York Jets: 4 internal free agents to keep and 4 to let walk away
By Ed Stein
Number 3
Go – Trevor Siemian, QB, UFA (28, $2M)
As a writer, it’s very hard to find words for a quarterback who took 18 snaps. It wasn’t Trevor Siemian‘s fault he played so little. As Sam Darnold’s back up he was ready in when the starter had to miss time with mononucleosis. Unfortunately, his time only lasted those 18 plays before disaster struck.
Siemian was the victim of a late hit by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett with 7:48 remaining in the second quarter during the Week 2 edition of Monday Night Football. The QB suffered a gruesome dislocated ankle. There is even a youtube video by a doctor that explained it and how rare the injury was. Needless to say, even if he does recover fully, the Jets need to thank Siemian for his quarter-and-a-half of service and find a new No. 2 quarterback.
Stay – Neville Hewitt, ILB, UFA (27, $1.5M)
When Neville Hewitt is on the field he makes plays. He appeared and started in a dozen contests last season and tied for second place on the team with 75 tackles. When big-money free agent acquisition CJ Mosley went down (twice), Hewitt was the man who stepped up and called the defensive plays.
A relative bargain at $1.5M last year, Hewitt was invaluable to the New York Jets stingy defense. A full year paired with Mosley could make Gang Green even better. Hewitt is entering his prime. It will most like cost more to replace his production than it will be to sign him to a multi-year deal. Douglas needs to bring him back to New York.