All eyes will be on the Super Bowl on Sunday, and that should include those belonging to members of the Jets front office.
Team officials should be glued to the game, as there are several players playing in Miami that are set to hit the open market in March. The best two teams in the NFL are strapped with talent and it would be foolish for the Jets to not want to model their franchise like the Chiefs and 49ers have.
With that said, let’s take a look at six Super Bowl participants that the Jets should have their eyes on come free agency.
49ers: WR Emmanuel Sanders
While Emmanuel Sanders will be 33 years old this March, he proved his worth in San Francisco, making a significant impact down the stretch for the 49ers passing attack.
The Jets are lacking a true threat on the outside and Sanders has shown no indication that his production is going to slow down. While New York would like to have Robby Anderson back, Sanders would be the complement that would continually allow Gang Green’s true homerun threat to take the top off of defenses.
New York will have to get creative in its search for Sam Darnold’s No. 1 wide receiver. The 49ers not only gave Sanders a lifeline after his best days were behind him in Denver, but he also recorded 36 receptions for 502 yards and three touchdowns in 10 regular-season games.
Although the Jets may not have the cap flexibility to extend Anderson and ink Sanders to a lucrative deal, Sanders provides some veteran experience that the position group would be lacking with Demaryius Thomas and Quincy Enunwa unlikely to return.
Chiefs: WR Demarcus Robinson
Another intriguing option to add to the Jets wide receiver room is Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.
While Robinson is technically the third wide receiver on Kansas City’s depth chart, his production and play type overlap with that of Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman. The Jets need playmakers on offense and Robinson had the second-highest average yards of separation when targeted in the NFL this past season among wide receivers.
In 2019, Robinson had career-high 32 catches for 449 yards and four touchdowns. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent and it’s unlikely the Chiefs bring him back due to the team already possessing similar skill sets at the position.
49ers: DE Arik Armstead
The 2015 first-round pick had a career year playing amongst one of the most dominant defensive lines in football.
Arik Armstead recorded 54 total tackles, 10 sacks and two passes defended. Armstead lead the 49ers in quarterback takedowns this season. He has also recorded a sack in each of San Francisco’s playoff games this season.
With Armstead looking to cash in on the open market, he could be a contingency plan for the Jets if the team decides not to pursue tier-one pass-rushers like Yannick Ngakoue, Jadeveon Clowney, Shaquil Barrett, Matthew Judon and Dante Fowler Jr.
Chiefs: CB Kendall Fuller
While he is just 24 years old, Kendall Fuller hasn’t been nearly the same player for the Chiefs that he was in 2017 for the Redskins
Fuller was part of the Alex Smith trade and has seen his numbers slowly decline since his departure from Washington. In 2017, Pro Football Focus’ coverage grade for Fuller (91.2) tied for the second-highest in the NFL.
In 2019, Fuller missed a handful of games and was asked to play safety in the latter portion of the Chiefs’ schedule. Fuller had 34 total tackles and an interception in 11 games.
As a prime bounce-back candidate in 2020, Fuller presents himself as a low-risk, high-reward gamble on the market. Joe Douglas would be wise to take a long look at the former third-round pick as a potential depth piece with an opportunity to start.
49ers: OL Ben Garland
Ben Garland is the type of player that should have been on the Jets radar last offseason.
The 49ers signed Garland as a depth piece on a one-year prove-it deal and he wound up starting at guard and then shifting over to center once Weston Richburg was lost for the season.
While Garland would be a perfect veteran player to be a plug-and-play guy at center or guard, it remains unlikely that he isn’t re-signed in San Francisco. He fits perfectly in Kyle Shanahan’s run-heavy scheme and would have to slip through the cracks to land on his feet in New York.
In any event, Garland’s rise to stardom should be on Joe Douglas’ mind when he scours the market for offensive line help this March.
Chiefs: CB Bashaud Breeland
Bashaud Breeland’s journey to the Super Bowl didn’t seem possible back in 2017.
Departing from Washington after four seasons, Breeland inked a three-year contract with the Panthers in free agency. However, he cut his foot during a trip to the Dominican Republic, causing his contract with Carolina to be voided.
Breeland joined the Packers halfway the 2018 season and signed with the Chiefs before the 2019 season.
While Breeland turns 29 on Friday, his best football is still ahead of him. Joe Douglas should consider that happening in green and white.
