All NFL teams and their followers say it every year at this time, like clockwork. But it seems to have a louder than usual ring of truth and urgency for the Green & White and their fans now. This year's "Free Agency Frenzy," as it is being billed by NFL Media, is an exciting time for the Jets as they head into the 2018 season.
That's something that even general manager Mike Maccagnan, who's been known to play his cards close to his vest, can agree with.
"Our focus is really trying to continue to build this thing, and the vision that we have for it," Maccagnan about the Jets said at the NFL Combine, "and we're excited about what can potentially happen here in free agency."
Will one signing that could potentially happen come at quarterback? Maccagnan was keeping his options open and his lips sealed about whether he prefers to re-sign Josh McCown, or sign one of the members of the UFA class, or find his QB of the future at the top of the late-April draft. But Mac understands why reporters and fans are thinking that way.
"In the attempt not to tell every other team in the NFL what we're going to do, it's a position of interest to us," he said. "Quarterback is an extremely important position in this league, everyone is well aware of that. And in essence, with our starting quarterback from last year, Josh McCown, a free agent, that's going to be a point of interest for us."
But in general, the GM warned Jets fans to be ready to run right out of the gate on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, when the signings can begin.
"We'll be very active on the first day in terms of the higher-profile guys, but I think the one thing I've noticed about the NFL in past years is that free agency moves very quickly," he said. "We may sign a big-ticket guy, we may sign a small-ticket guy. We'll just see how it plays out, but I think we're going to be very active in free agency. Obviously, everyone is very well aware we do have quite a bit of cap space to work with, but there are quite a few players that we're interested in."
The first part of free agency "season" kicks off today when teams are permitted to contact and enter into negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents. The clock starts for this phase at noon ET today and ends at 3:59:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
One second later, at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, it's "Frenzy" time as the 2018 league year, free agency period and trading period all begin.
Also during the two-day negotiation period and on into the free agency signing period, the Jets and all teams can and will continue to work on signing their own free agents.
"There are quite a few players that we would like to retain from our own group of free agents, but they're going to go out there and test the market probably," Maccagnan said. "We may sign a few of those guys sign before free agency, but it's going to be a fluid thing.
"I think really with the amount of cap space that we have, there are a lot of different scenarios that we have played out, so we'll see how it all unfolds."
