Joe Douglas once again spent a lot of the Jets’ salary cap space during the first two weeks of free agency.
With a month to go before the 2022 NFL draft, the Jets still have $16,529,531 in cap room, according to NFLPA records via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. That number doesn’t include the deals for OG Dan Feeney and FB Nick Bawden, or the RFA tender for K Eddy Piñeiro, meaning the Jets have closer to $13.913 million, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.
The Jets also just signed K Greg Zuerlein to a one-year deal worth up to $2.75 million, per Hughes, which would decrease their cap space to around $11.163 million.
This puts the Jets right in the middle of the league in terms of salary cap space 11 days after the start of the league year. However, the Jets eventually have to sign their draft picks – they currently have nine picks — and complete a 51-man roster. That means New York’s effective cap space is closer to $3.9 million, according to Over The Cap.
That isn’t a lot of leftover money, but the moves the Jets made were necessary to shore up holes on the team. New York signed a new offensive lineman, cornerback, safety, edge rusher and two starting tight ends. Douglas also re-signed a lot of veterans to keep some continuity in the locker room for Robert Saleh’s second season.
The Jets aren’t in salary cap trouble, either, considering a lot of their contracts are still movable. There are sure to be a few cap casualties as the season draws nearer, too.
