With free agency nearing, it’s time to take a look at some players the Jets might be interested in.
Following a disappointing showing from Isaiah Crowell in his first season with the team and Bilal Powell’s tenure with New York likely coming to an end, the Jets will be coveting a running back or two on the free agent market in March. They already have youngsters Trenton Cannon and Elijah McGuire on hand, but Gang Green needs a true playmaker in the backfield.
Now is the right time for the Jets to be in the market for a running back. There are a handful of intriguing names available for the right price, so Mike Maccagnan will not be short on options to choose from.
With that being said, here are four running backs New York should target in free agency.
Le’Veon Bell
This one goes without saying. Bell is the crowned jewel of this year’s free agent class and there’s no doubt the Jets will be interested in acquiring his services.
Doing so will cost a king’s ransom, though. Bell is going to command top-dollar on the open market. Although the Jets have the second-most salary cap space in the league, plenty of teams will be bidding for the former Steelers running back.
How much will Maccagnan be willing to pay for the star tailback? Early reports indicate that New York will not break the bank, but that could change in a heartbeat. The Jets need weapons to surround Sam Darnold with and Bell is the perfect fit.
Tevin Coleman
If the Jets can’t land Bell, Coleman is the perfect backup option for Adam Gase’s offense. With his versatile skill set, Coleman would thrive as a dual-threat out of the backfield for New York.
With Devonta Freeman sidelined, Coleman proved that he could handle a feature back’s workload with the Atlanta Falcons in 2018. It was already known that Coleman was an excellent change of pace back, but his performance last season turned him into a coveted player on the open market.
Like Bell, Coleman will have plenty of teams vying for his services. Should the Jets miss on Bell, they will have to move quickly in order to land him.
Mark Ingram
Ingram has spent the last couple of seasons working alongside Alvin Kamara out of New Orleans’ two-headed monster backfield. Now, it’s time for him to return to feature back status.
Ingram’s production warrants a payday on the open market. Prior to last season, he had run for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and in 2017, he registered double-digit rushing touchdowns for the first time in his career.
The only issue with Ingram is his age. He’s turning 30 and it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank. Not taking the bulk of the carries in 2018 likely helped in that regard and he remains an intriguing option.
Latavius Murray
Murray did not serve as a No. 1 running back in 2018, but he has experience in the role and could succeed in Gase’s offense due to his versatility out of the backfield.
In no way should Murray be a top option for the Jets, but he should be someone New York covets as a secondary option. He is a solid, but not spectacular, player that will contribute, but he won’t take the Jets’ offense to the next level.
