Jets Will Survive Losing Mack to Bears

The Jets have lost out on the Khalil Mack sweepstakes, after the Pro Bowlers was dealt to the Chicago Bears for two first round picks. While many fans are going to moan and groan about “Same Ole Jets,” Mike Maccagnan and crew did not have to make this move. They did their job and kicked the tires, but the price was too steep.

Not now. Not for a guy who was supposed to hit the market had he gone free agent. Not for two first round picks, which the Jets could least afford to lose as they continue to rebuild their football team.

Hence the key word: rebuild.

Had the Jets mortgaged their future and inked Mack to a multi-year contract that would have been in the neighborhood of the $22.5 million a year that Aaron Donald will make with the L.A. Rams, the Jets would have kicked themselves in the long run.

Yes, it would have been nice to see Mack in a green and white 52-jersey chase down a 41-year old Tom Brady, and step all over whatever the Dolphins and Bills are throwing out there. But, let’s be real, what would the Jets have won this season?

The Jets are not going to the playoffs this year. Six wins is probably the max this season with a rookie quarterback, a patchwork offensive line, an invisible running game, and a defense that still has too many holes to fill.

Inspite of what Colin Cowherd thinks (the same genius who said the Jets would go 0-16 last year), the Jets are not chuck full of “elite” players. Not even close.

Jamal Adams and Marcus May are still developing. We don’t know what Sam Darnold is yet (although we think we know). Robbie Anderson is their best offensive talent, as long as he stays out of jail.

They’re getting better, and will be better next year.

The Jets have about $9.4 million in cap space this year, which increases to $85.7 million in 2019, $123 million in 2020, and $161 million in available cap space by 2021. The Jets are in a great position right now to go on the equivalent of a Black Friday shopping spree in six months when the next free agent cycle hits.

Guys like guard Jonathan Cooper, running backs Le’Von Bell and Latavious Murray, and defensive ends Ziggy Ansah and Dante Fowler Jr. are all expected to hit the market as unrestricted free agents. The Jets can easily sign a couple of these guys and still have draft picks to fill other holes and add depth.

In the long run the Jets will be fine.

The Bears felt they had to make a move.  Their GM Ryan Pace is 15-34 in the last three seasons combined, and the Bears just fired head coach John Fox and replaced him with Matt Nagy. Another slip up and Pace could be gone too.

The Bears think they have a good team this year, but they are still the fourth best team on paper going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, Kirk Cousins and the Vikings and Matt Stafford and the Lions.

Mack fits the Bears. He looks like a guy who could have played with the likes of the Fridge and Mike Singletary back in the 80’s, or Brian Urlacher just a decade ago. Good for the Bears, they get to sell jerseys.

I am just not sure if the Bears are ready to win this year, and now they don’t have picks, and their salary cap space of only $36 million in 2019 and $74 million in 2020 shrank considerably. The Jets have all their chips at the table. Good for them.