With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, there is a chance the Jets do not take the field in 2020.
Although the NFL is moving toward re-opening team facilities in preparation for the upcoming season, there are still major questions about the league’s ability to play this Fall. According to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci, the NFL would have to emulate a “bubble” format similar to what the MLS and NBA have discussed in order to play in 2020.
“Unless players are essentially in a bubble — insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day — it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci told CNN. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.”
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills acknowledged Fauci’s comments and said the league is working toward addressing issues to mitigate health risks, but that is far from a guarantee that football will be a go come September. The same goes for playing a full season.
So, what would a canceled 2020 season mean for the Jets? Here are some ways New York *could* be impacted if Fauci’s concerns come to fruition.
Christopher Johnson’s final days running the show?
Even if football is played this Fall, Christopher Johnson’s days running the Jets could be numbered.
Woody Johnson’s term as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom is set to end at the end of 2020. Assuming he decides not to take on another term or if Donald Trump loses November’s presidential election, Johnson will return to the States full time and will likely reassume control of the team he bought in 2000.
This means that Christopher will likely return to a secondary role in the organization. It will be interesting to see how the transition goes, as Christopher endeared himself to the players throughout his tenure as CEO — especially in light of recent social and racial injustices in America. Either way, there is a chance Christopher’s time in the spotlight could be over once football returns.
A lost year for Sam Darnold
Year 3 of Sam Darnold’s professional football career is supposed to be an important one.
After a so-so start to his tenure with the Jets, many view Darnold’s third season with the team as crucial to his development. If he can’t take the field in 2020, Darnold is going to miss out on a massive opportunity to take the next step in his progression.
If the 2020 season is canceled, there is no doubt that Darnold will continue working out on his own in an effort to take his game to the next level. That’s not the same as taking the field against elite competition, though. No matter how you slice it, Darnold’s development takes a severe hit without football this Fall.
Contractual implications
Jets general manager Joe Douglas earned a lot of praise for bringing in quality free agents on short-term deals for the 2020 season. If football is not played this Fall, though, Douglas’ offseason dealings could have been all for naught.
Pierre Desir, Joe Flacco, Jordan Jenkins, Frank Gore, Brian Poole and Breshad Perriman are all set to hit free agency next Spring. Marcus Maye’s contract is also set to expire, as is Avery Williamson’s. Douglas was going to have to deal with a lot of expiring contracts next offseason, but at least he was going to get something out of those deals in 2020.
It’s too early to tell how the NFL would address contracts if the season was canceled, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that deals could be honored, at least in regard to service time. For comparison, any Major League Baseball player who was set to hit the open market after the 2020 campaign is still going to become a free agent even if the league cancels its season.
The Jamal Adams saga carries on
Unless the Jets deal Jamal Adams in the coming weeks or before there is an answer regarding whether or not football will be played this Fall, be prepared for his contract saga to carry on for a bit longer.
It’s hard to see the Jets moving Adams if football is not being played this Fall. New York has shown no indication to trade him and it could possibly use the time off to negotiate the contract extension he desires.
Adams wants a contract extension from the Jets before his rookie deal runs out. Even if the 2020 season gets canceled, Adams will be on his initial contract with New York entering the 2021 season, so there is still time for Joe Douglas and company to make a move here. If Adams actually wants to stay and the Jets actually want to keep him in the Big Apple, this could be the time to get the deal done.
