Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.
The Jets have 32 players set to hit the open market this offseason. Some don’t figure to factor into New York’s plans for 2020, while it’s safe to assume the Jets would like to keep others around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do in his first offseason on the job.
Maurice Canady joined the Jets in November after spending three years with the Baltimore Ravens. The 25-year-old cornerback was a somewhat pleasant surprise for New York, as he was relatively solid down the stretch. Is that enough to warrant a return in 2020? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.
Pros of keeping him
When the Jets claimed Canady off waivers from the Ravens, he was viewed as a depth piece for an already banged up cornerback unit. The acquisition proved to be far more impactful for New York, though, as Canady earned himself a spot in Gregg Williams’ defensive back rotation.
Canady wasn’t a world-beater lining up mostly in the nickel, but he was a solid contributor. When Brian Poole wasn’t on the field, Canady made the most of his opportunities with high-motor play and fierce physicality.
Cons of keeping him
Canady is one of those players who balls out in short spurts, only to return to mediocrity a couple of weeks later. That is not necessarily a knock on him. He just is not a starting-level NFL cornerback at this point in his career.
Considering that is what the Jets need, it’s hard to see Canady back in green and white next season.
The verdict
All things considered, Canady has a somewhat solid chance of sticking around at One Jets Drive. Nickel corner is a valuable position and he showed enough he can contribute in that role.
With that being said, the Jets need major upgrades at corner. Canady is a solid backup, but Douglas needs to do more than continue to add depth pieces who might be able to make a play here and there.
It’s a tougher call than it might seem, but Canady is likely out in the Big Apple.
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