The Jets have now been able to sign all of their rookies apart from Mason Taylor and recently made two cap-saving moves when they released their kicker and punter. Let’s investigate the effect this has on their current salary cap position.
Here’s where they currently stand:
The NFLPA database currently has the Jets at $27,899,172 in available cap space.
We suspect this is slightly out of date, though, and that a more accurate figure can be ascertained from OTC, which currently has them at closer to $25 million.
Bear in mind that this includes the $13-14 million cap saving in respect of the two cuts (Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams) that were designated as post-June transactions, although the Jets won’t actually be able to spend any of that money until June 1st. So current actual cap space is likely only around $11-12 million.
When Taylor signs, this will likely only use up an additional $250K or thereabouts of cap space. Also, OTC hasn’t included the salaries for any of the undrafted free agents yet, but these should all fall outside the top-51 and therefore will have no effect on the cap situation.
While Morstead and Zuerlein’s release was reported in the media to have saved just under $5 million, the net saving is actually only about $3 million because each release moves another player’s salary into the top-51. Further cap savings of around $200K each would be made if either of the punters currently remaining on the roster or undrafted rookie kicker Caden Davis makes the team, but not if Anders Carlson wins the kicker job.
Ultimately, the Jets’ current cap situation doesn’t look too bad, especially when compared with the Bills and Giants who have just $3 million of cap space between them. They are the only two teams with less than $7 million in current cap space.
In an emergency, the Jets could do the a simple salary-to-bonus restructure with Quinnen Williams’ contract and realize an extra $12 million of cap space, but they have no need to right now.
Trading someone such as Allen Lazard could also create current year cap space, as could any long-term extensions for Alijah Vera-Tucker or any of their top four 2022 picks.