LISTEN | Jets Free Agency Update - Ep. 7 (3/25)

bit of draft talk. I know that it's free agency right now, but Mel Kiper of ESPN just put out his new mock draft, basically a ripple effect of the first wave of free agency, and e A and I will be going through the top ten and of course the Jets at eleven basically see who could take who come April. We're officially just under a month away from the NFL Draft April to April. And Olivia Land is caught up with Cynthia Freeland. That'll be our interview today.

And really this is the second podcast in a row where we have some breaking news right off the top. Yesterday it was reportedly Jordan Jenkins resigned with the Jets, and today the Jets had to say goodbye to Robby Anderson, who reportedly signed with the Carolina Panthers and reuniting with his college coach Matt Rule reportedly agreed to terms. That's

Adam Schefter here a couple of minutes ago. As you said Greens at his three forty one on Tuesday, things in the National Football League just continue to come in multiple waves of free agency, reuniting with Matt Rule there in Carolina and a former Jet and there are no signal caller that is Teddy Bridgewater. Of course, Robbie did some nice things here for the Jets um band. Joe Douglas and Adam Gates both very complimentary if him. But with that being said, uh, free agencies fluid, and you

know this, Joe Douglas will have a plan. All right, let's dive into some draft talk here. So what we're gonna do is we're gonna go through mel Kiper's one through eleven where the Jets selects, and we're gonna basically talk about who melt slow at it at each pick, and then who we think could be other options for

those teams. And really, when you look at the first and second pick, you think of Joe Burrow has been He's been pegged to the Cincinnati Bengals from the get so I don't really want to talk about him and Chase Young the same thing in Washington, and especially when you think that the Redskins just traded for Kyle Allen. I know there was some speculation that maybe two attack of Bayla or Justin Herbert could be the guy at

number two. And really from all along, you see a lot of the draft pundens say that the draft starts at number three because if you're looking for the second quarterback, assuming Joe Burrow goes one, who's gonna trade up to three? And the two most popular answers are the Chargers and the Dolphins. But right now, the way mel Kiper has it, no trades in his mock draft, jeff A Couda the cornerback from Ohio State number three to the Detroit Lions. Yeah, Green's a Couta is the Navy been in there by

most draft pardons for months. In fact, everybody should read up on what you've been doing with the athletics. Dane Brugler on New York Just dot com, You guys are actually going to start up that series again. It's March twenty four, were less than a month away from the two thousand, twenty NFL Draft, and everybody's been looking at the Lions right for a long time and saying that is the flash point they have their quarterback in place in Matt Stafford. Does a Kuda come off the board

that quickly? And if the Dolphins and or the Chargers want to get up the three, what is the price. I'm just looking at Miami right now, just the first round picks alone. Greens they had the fifth pick, pick pick. I think they have more than enough ammunition when you look at their whole stockpile two thousand twenty, they can

get up there if they're targeting to to three. I think Detroit, if you're looking at it from alliance perspective, fabulous position because you might be able to go back to five and or of five or six and get the player you want. Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. I think the Dolphins have the ammunition to get up to three. And really I don't know why the Lions wouldn't fall back to five if those two teams make a trade. It feels like the Lions could, in theory,

still take somebody like Jeff Acuda at five. I'm interested to see where the Giants go, and the Giants right now have the number four overall pick. In mel Kiper's mock draft, he has them taking Isaiah Simmons, who's You know, he's listed at linebacker, but he's a Swiss Army knife for the Clempton Tigers. He's played safety, he's played linebacker, he's played nickel, he's played outside corner. He plays everywhere

for the Tigers. And a lot of other mock drafts also have the Giants taking an offensive lineman, similar to what the Jets want to do and what the Bills did last year. You build a all around your young quarterback end in the offensive line scenario, such would be the case for Daniel Jones. Now this is saying that Dave Gettlman GM of the Giants would go on the defensive side of the ball and take a player really that can play anywhere on the field. Well, Simmons seems

like a unique player. You might be the most versatile player in the entire draft class. Isn't that fair to say, Greens? You just mentioned everything that he did at Clemson. You know, I'd love to be in these draft meetings when the team's watch tape of Simmons because how do they want to use them on the next level? And I'm not saying we're moving in the National Football League now to more of a position less um player. Evaluation scale, I think,

and Simmons is a perfect example of that. Now, if you're the Giants, though, and you have a quarterback entering his second season and they do have a new coach there the Giants, is he your guy? I'm not saying the Giants are gonna take a quarterback at four, but if you know he's your guy, do you want to take that investment and give him a tackle? Because the Giants do, even though they've made a move or two in free agency, they have some question marks up front.

Green's yes, they do. And Nate Solder still on the team. He plays left tackle, and they had some struggles, uh all, on the line last year. And you know, it'll be very interesting to see if the first tackle comes off the board at four, which if the Jets were in the market, might not bode well for them at eleven based on the ripple effect. And you know, really quickly here before we hear from Olivia, you look at the Chargers at six, another possible trade up option, or maybe

they just sit where they are. And I know basically every my draft has them selecting either to a or Justin Herbert. Whoever, the Dolphins do not select in In each person's respective mock draft. But then I've also seen a couple of mock drafts and I want to get your opinion on this that have the Chargers taking a tackle to protect whoever plays back there, assuming it's not justin Herbert or to a Well, I'm looking at the Charges right now and saying, I think they've already made

some line improvements trade turners there. They picked up Brian Boulog on free agency, the former longtime Green Bay Packle's right tackle, so pouncy. You're hoping, if you're a Chargers fan, that he is going to be your center for sixteen games next season. So I think they've done a couple of moves here in free agency where they've fortified the line quite a bit. I still think the play for

them is going after a quarterback. I'm just wondering if the Dolphins and the Chargers have both their mindset on getting to uh no matter what. The wild card here is the Carolina Panthers. Yes, they reached agreement with Robbie Anderson according to Adam Schufter today, but they also officially released Cam Newton. With the Chargers and Anthony Lynn be interested, they got to Rod Taylor. They're a veteran who did

some nice things with the Buffalo Bills. But with the Chargers moving into that new stadium, want to take a flyer on Cam Newton. Yeah, I think that's a fascinating I think it'll be fascinating to see where Cam goes, where Jamis Winston also goes. He remains unsigned as we record this podcast. You know they could break any second that he reportedly agreed to term somewhere. But for now, let's hear from Olivia land As, who spoke with Cynthia Freeland,

and then on the backside will go through seven through eleven. Now, before we kind of got rolling here, we were talking about some of the stuff you've been doing to keep yourself occupied, and you mentioned how you're dabbling in some teaching right now uson I UM. I have a lot of friends with kids and they're having hard time with this homeschooling and one particular area that is a really big source of concerned math um where I have some some expertise. I am not a teacher, and I give

so much more every day. I have more and more respect for teachers because I'm not gonna lie to you. Watching and listening to what these kids have to these parents. So I've been basically trying to take some of my football knowledge and football experience and turn it into hopefully fun lesson plans. And then kids have been sending me homework and we go over it in small groups on zoom.

So I am not a teacher, but I'm pretending to be a teacher during this quarantine time to help the parents out with a little bit of math fun too. It's it's awesome that you're using your skills to help others, so hopefully we will see um trying. You're self appointed, It gives it gives a huge perspective, right, and a lot of appreciation for educators. Definitely not so so hard So well, Cynthia, I want to dive a little bit

more into what you do for the NFL network. We already mentioned how you are a data scientists and predictive analytics expert. You actually do a lot of content with the jets. When you look at your job and this free agency period, with how unique this has been with the coronavirus pandemic going on, how exactly does a data scientist or predictive analysts expert play into the role of free agency and predicting what can be some of the best met needs for certain teams. So it's really about

having a plan, being collaborative, and then executing that plan. Now, I think the first day of free agency, you know, people were like, what is it just Canna do the sony and people were you know, it didn't seem like the big splashy moves were going the Jets way, which honestly was really good. Then the deals start could come through. You see a corner that really played above average last season, Brian Pool being re signed for five million. That is

a great contract. It is what's that I said, a good snag for great snag because it's all about return on investment for the strategy that you want to enact. Right, So, if your strategy is to play defense with the pieces you've already paid for. C. J. Mosley was a big acquisition last year, so now you have to take the pieces you that you have and you know, look, the run defense for the Jets is a huge source of strength last season. The past defense could could use some work.

So reinforcing that with the right types of players at the right price, that's really how you create the best strategy to win, especially in the division that now you know, it's anyone's division. Really, you know, like there's a lot of question marks kind of on every team. And you have a quarterback that your coach believes in, which, by the way, that's that's a really big deal. So there's a lot of really interesting things happening. Reinforcing the old line,

figuring out how to protect your asset. The most valuable player on any team is the quarterback, just is right. So ultimately, you know, finding ways to reinforce the assets that you already have. You've already paid for love Bell. It's a sun cost. You can't go back and reconsider it. You have to take the hundred nine million dollars for this year's cap and allocate it in a way that gives you the best chance to win. And that's really I've been really you know, it's it's not a sexy

offseason for the Jets. You know, I don't mean to you know, sure, Brian's Pool Gray super sexy, great, but like a bunch of alignment three pound men also sexy, but very meaningful, impactful. Well, when you look at the Jets specifically, and I know that you were talking about um finding the pieces that already worked implementing them. And you know, the Jets haven't, like you said, necessarily made a huge splash in that first wave of free agency.

But when you take a look at the Green and White and some of their needs at this point in time, when you consider some of the data that you are reviewing on a day to day basis, what sticks out to you most about some of the immediate needs of this team. Well, obviously, look, I spent a lot of my thesis when I was in school, and you know, figuring out how to really become impactful in the sports

analytics space and football, particularly because my background. I worked actually at the league office in on Park Avenue in a financial strategy capacity ahead of the last c b A, trying to figure out what's the right blend of products and product for the league office. It's games, right, is it? Sixteen and four? Seventeen and three? How many playoff games? It's fun because I was in the league office ahead of the last set of negotiations and the same things

came up in this set of negotiations. Really interesting to see how it all evolved. But as I was doing that, I noticed that there was a void in being able to really connect the dots with you know, on field and create a strategy that was team specific to create the best products a k A chances to win as defined by a team. Right. So when I look at at what the Jets needs are, I think, you know, look,

they've started your address O line for sure. But you almost can never address an O line too much, right, Like, you know you can, you can, you can keep you know, trying until get the right combination. And then, by the way, like do you want to run outside zone rushing or what? How do you want to use leve Bell best? Because you paid for him, he's there, and how does that work with Sam Donald? And oh, by the way, there are questions at wide receiver and you've got to solve

those two. And in such a deep class and draft in the draft for wide receivers, that's an interesting sort of like, well, how do you want to play that strategy? Which one is your favorite, which one matches what Adam Gates wants to do? How do you want to make it all work together? And by the way, there's four tackles in this class that are really strong would be great fits for the Jets. And I say, tackles very specifically, right, So for me, short up the tackle, figure out how

to use the new pieces that you've got. Yes, George Fant is now there. I'm I'm aware, you know, I'm I'm following it too. But you can almost again, you can almost never address an old line too much. And I think the work that you're doing is so absolutely incredible, and I think it's something that's been missing from the NFL for a really long time. I wanted to circle

back really quickly. You did mention so the offensive line, and we've already seen Joe Douglas taking the steps to address the offensive line, but I wanted to circle back on something you had said, mentioning how you notice there was something missing and then you were able to come up with this approach. And I'm assuming you had to pitch it and then be able to get where you're

at today. What were some of the other steps that you had to take to implement this new approach that you've brought to the NFL, because I think it's been so valuable for so many teams. Thank you. I like that. Um, Ultimately, it's like like anything else, just like your job, just like you know, an accountant or a teacher, or any job you have to there's there's an element of trust in and being able to deliver. Like so your boss says OLIVERA you were you work from home during this time,

create these podcasts, make content that we want. There's a level of trust there that you're going to do the things that are your You have an understanding of what your audience is looking for and how they can find it. It's the same thing with analytics and sports. The good teams have a lock step between coach and front office and their analytics staff. In the scout, they use all of the tools available in their tool belt, and analytics

is one that helps create strategy. But when when it comes to me, and because I touch all of the teams, I get a chance to speak to many teams and I get a chance to try to you know, look, I tell I'm lucky. I'm super lucky because I get to tell really positive stories. Because you know, when you're when you're covering all of the teams, then you know what is a bad What is a bad thing for one team is actually often a good thing for another.

So you're you're trying to find positives and I'm able to be to be useful because teams will ask me. They'll be like, Cynthia, can you help me? When I when I consult for teams, they'll be like, can you help me, like structure and organize the analytics staff that I have so that we can solve a question about I'm going to use one that's absolutely not the jets, you know, just because to keep everything, you know, because

I trust is a big deal. Right, helps you're out which running back we should target of these five given that we want to do this, and help me structure my team so that the people who are my analytic staff here they're feeling more useful. That's what the good teams are doing. And I feel that's my favorite type of projects because then I get to help people kind of like you know, I think, I mean maybe maybe I'm always a teacher, right like now that I think

about this, it sounds like it. Yeah, but I want people to feel happy and satisfied. It math isn't very sexy. It advanced math and going through and trying to you

know a lot of it is. Writing computer code also not necessarily the most sexy thing, right, So you know, you want to be around football and football is so much fun and it the energy and you get wins and losses, which is like, that's awesome in life, and there they're almost inconsequence quental wins and losses, like when I was a banker, you have a loss, like you can get fired and it's scary, right you have lost here. Yet eventually if you have too many losses, you get fired.

But you know you get you get a chance next Sunday again to go out there and improve yourself. So it's interesting to see when you when you talk to teams, making people useful and like strategizing how to you know, use all of the different things available to it. There's so many different data points now with the next gen stats coming out, with people learning how to write different types of computer code, there's tons of different ways that

you can be useful. And it's really about how you, like, you know, create the structure that the coach trusts and the GM trust and that people can use. Thanks to Olivia and to Cynthia for joining the Official Jets podcast. Hey, let's pick up right where we left off here so we can get in seven to eleven because we're gonna have a lot of thoughts once the Jets are on the board you mentioned the Carolina Panthers. Mel Kuiper has them selecting Derek Brown, the defensive tackle out of Auburn

who's widely regarded as the best interior guy. Javon Kinlaw is also in that conversation, But Derek Brown is like a he didn't test well at the Combine, but his tape is so good. And I think the Panthers also, I mean, I'm kind of viewing this with a jet scope. So a lot of mock drafts have had receiver and O line at eleven for the Jets, and I think the Panthers probably not in the market for a receiver at seven, but they could be in the market, I

would assume for a tackle at seven also. Yeah, but you think about Rule and what he did a great job at Temple and then he goes to Baylor in that program was in ashes when he got there, and what they did last year going to the Big Twelve title game. They were a couple of quarters away from making the College Football semifinals. So outstanding job on the college level. Now he's taken his shot in the National

Football League with Carolina. Brown the more you talk about Rule the more I think he does make sense there because rules background is defense. You know, let's just keep

things rolling. We're looking at the Cardinals now at number eight, and mel Kiper has them selecting Tristan Worth's and a couple of weeks ago, this was a popular spot for Ceedee Lamb, who played with Kyler Murray at Oklahoma, and Ceedee Lamb's the receiver, and now that they've traded for DeAndre Hopkins, probably looking at a tackle here, or depending on how certain things play out ahead of them, maybe they look at somebody like Derek Brown if he falls,

or Isaiah Simmons, or even somebody I don't know if he would fall this far, but somebody like Jeff Akuda. Maybe he makes sense for the Cardinals at a because Patrick Peterson's getting up there in age, and I know they uh picked Byron Murphy last year in the second round, but maybe they wanna improve their secondary. I think the Cardinals are really interesting actually, so they already fortified the tackle position, but you could set yourself up for a long time if you go tackle here and you just

made an investment number one overall Kyler Murray. Now you give them the shiny new toy who for my money, Deandreakins is as good as any receiver in the National Football League. He's always open Greens Uh, He physically is just beasts and he makes the extraordinary look ordinary. Wouldn't it be interesting if they took another tackle here to protect Murray who has great movement skills um Or You definitely could see him going with the receiver to Uh.

And who would it be because it seems to me Greens And you talked to Dane about this a lot during your pro Prospect profile series that Lamb is more the thicker guy uh stout uh and Judy is probably more in short area spaces. The quicker guy maybe the more accomplished route runner. But both both of these guys are tremendous targets. And who's your head coach, Cliff Kingsbury, no doubt about it. And I think the Cardinals are gonna be interesting because they could go in a number

of ways. And let's when you look at the Jaguars at nine, this is interesting too because Gardner Minshew is clearly he clearly won the job over Nick Foles, who was traded to the Bears, and mel Kiper has the

Jaguars selecting Javon Kinlaw, the defensive tackle out of South Carolina. Now, the Jaguars also have two first round picks, so so do they want to make a move for one a quarterback and move up or do they sit where they are and take whoever comes to them, or do they also want to trade up for somebody else, like I don't know, let's say Isaiah Simmons, just to say somebody as an example. They have the ammunition to load up

if they want. They also have like three third round picks there or two or three third round picks and three fourth round picks. Like they're loaded. They have the ammunition to go where they want. I don't think the Jaguars trade up unless they're targeting a quarterback. That they are not going move up unless they have a quarterback in mind. And then also, what's gonna happen with that great pass rusher there who they just franchised. Yeah, I

think it's gonna be very interesting. You're talking about Yannick and Jack? Yeah, why don't you pronounce it for me and go way? Yeah? One, they just put the tag on him. He wants a long term contract. Would he be on the move? Draft weekend will will they entertain offers. Will teams be calling the Jaguars because most teams in the National Football League those are the two things you're gonna target on defense needs pass rushers. You never can have enough pass rushers in NFL. The second part of

that equation, of course, is cornerbacks. And mel Kiper's mock draft were now at number ten of the Cleveland Browns, and most mock drafts from a Jets perspective have had them taking a receiver or an offensive tackle. In terms of offensive tackle and Keiper's mock draft, the second one comes off the board at ten. The first one came

off at eight Tristan Worth's. The second one is McKay Beckton, who's the mountain of a man going to the Cleveland Browns, who agreed to terms and I believe that they confirmed that they signed Jack Conklin this free agency period. Well, yeah, so the fit there is is Beckton a guy who can project at left tackle on the next level. Um because at Louisville Green's he's playing on the right side.

Correct He played this past season on the left side and the year before that on the right side, so he has experienced at both Okay, So at three sixty plus, is that guy going to take care of Baker on the left side because I we talked to certain people think that he's best suited to play on the right side on Sundays. McKay Beckton, Tristan Worfs, Jedrick Wills, and Andrew Thomas have all played right tack at one point

or another in their collegiate career. The only two that have played the left side are Mackay Beckton and Andrew Thomas, and so far in this mock draft, Beckton comes off at ten Andrew Thomas still on the board when the Jets select at eleven. And now let's dive in here.

The New York Jets in mel Kiper's mock draft select Jedrick Wills, the offensive tackle out of Alabama, over the other tackle, Andrew Thomas, and they have their pick of the litterat receiver in the scenario if they so choose, Yeah, and listen, don't you think the Jets are going if

they stay at eleven. This is likely not exactly the way Kiper put it out here as far as the top ten, but this scenario you could certainly envision it where no receiver has been taken off the board and you're staring looking at Lamb and Judy and at least one tackle, maybe two tackles, And if you're Joe Douglas, I think that's a great situation to be in if this is the way how it plays out. Yeah, I

absolutely agree. I mean, I've seen mok traft cy A that have all four tackles off the board by the time the Jets select at eleven, and that could change. That was before the free agency period opened, So free agency obviously has a big ripple effect for the draft, and I think it'd be uh, really interesting to see what Joe Douglas does, especially when you factor in what we just learned at the beginning of this podcast that Robby Anderson sign or reportedly agreed to terms with the

Carolina Panthers. So let me add something here. It was like, it wouldn't shock me at all if if Joe Douglas decided to pick a receiver no matter who he signs in free agency. Agree is a couple of updates and free agency to earlier Today reports National Reports. Philip doors Set, who played the last two years with the New England Patriots, had four touchdowns each of the past two seasons with Tommy TV twelve throwing him of football. He has agreed

to terms of Seattle Seahawks, Emmanuel Sanders and system. Familiarity with Adam Case, experience a lot of success with him in Denver a few years back, a little bit of an older guy thirty three years old, I think now he signed on to play with Drew Brees for forty one year old Drew Brees in New Orleans. So, uh, free agency certainly is not done. But a couple of those, uh you know, more prominent names I guess have come off the board. Expect the Jets to continue to fill

out the roster as we go. We know that's going to happen. Uh. So many waves and multiple tiers of free agency. Um, but this is when you have to trust your evaluations. Meaning so when these guys go and they look at their overall board, where is LAMB, where is Judy? And then where is the tackle, whe whether it wills, whether it be packed in? Where are they and they are they close together? And what is more

of a need? Because you never go kneed over best player available, but if it's close greens, then that's when the tie comes into an equation. We don't know. These are not finished products yet, the Jets offensive line, nor the Jets receiver group, of course, especially on a day

we're hearing about Robby Anderson and Green of terms with Carolina. Yeah, I think that the Jets in this scenario are in a very good spot because they can select a tackle, assuming that they have a good grade on on one of the tackles left available of the core for that would be Jeddrick Wills, who mel kayper pegs to the Jets, or Andrew Thomas, and then to your point, pick of the literate receiver. So I think the Jets are in a good spot. And Matt Miller said this is how

all closed out the podcast. In terms of Jerry Judy. He said, when I watched Jerry Judy, I see Odell Beckham, and then when you think of someone like Ceedee Lamb, I've heard him compared to more of a similar game to DeAndre Hopkins. Not to say that any of those two players are going to become, you know, Pro bowlers, all pros like Odell and DeAndre Hopkins, but if you want to describe their style of game, those are the comparisons that are being made to the top of the

class in the current state of the NFL. And I've also seen Dane Brugler said that when you look at Jerry Judy, he's almost he He has a very similar game to a former Alabama first round pick and Calvin Ridley. Extremely sharp route runner, gets open, good hands. So the Jets are in a good spot regardless of what happens back, I just wanted to get you get to your comments here. Will's real real quickly. Will's more draft pund this right now.

Projecting him right tackle correct, yes, because he's played right tackle and all of his high school career and collegiate career, so obviously teams are gonna look at him at left, but they might just say, hey, listen, lock and load, we're putting him on the right side. Something to consider. I think this offensive tackle class up top is probably one of the better ones, at least from a projection

standpoint that we've seen in the in the past. And to what we've been saying all along here at eleven. If this is the way the draft shakes out, the Jets are in a good spot. Is going to be an album player too, And I know that was the guy A lot of people are talking about before the year, and now these other three guys did play awfully well, uh maybe interviewed well, uh, performed, They've done nice jobs throughout the off season. But I would say Andrew Thomas,

let's not think about him in a mix. Yeah, I think. I think. I talked about this with Charles Davis at the combine and I asked him, don't you feel like Andrew Thomas might have slid down in the rankings just because he's been under the microscope for longer than the rest of these players. It's almost like you forget that he's a very good player. He's anchored the left side of the line for George of the past two seasons. Again, would it makes sense to draft a receiver at eleven,

whether it's C. D. Judy, even somebody like Henry Ruggs. Yeah, as long as it fits your scheme and as long as the greatest proper and it's not too rich in your eyes at that spot, and you bet, and the Jets could very well take receivers and rounds two and three, and Jets have some ammunition too, And we'll break that down as we get closer to the draft. And that was a little draft centered podcast here on the Official Jets Podcast, powered by A. W. S. E A and

I back tomorrow with another pod, Free Agency Draft. We cover it all here. He a keep doing the work from home, keep grinding and we'll talk to him. Yeah. Man, the sun is out. I love it. I got to get outside.