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.
The 2019 season was another solid one for Jets punter Lachlan Edwards. Ever since Brant Boyer took over as New York’s special teams coach in 2016, Edwards has taken his game to the next level, emerging as one of the NFL’s premier punters. Is that enough to warrant a return to the Big Apple next season? Let’s evaluate in the latest in Jets Wire’s free agent profile.
Pros of keeping him
Edwards has been the definition of reliable for the Jets the last three seasons. In 2019, he finished 13th in the league in punts inside the 20 with 28. Edwards also recorded only three touchbacks and his punts netted an average of seven yards per return.
All things considered, there’s really not much of a reason to move on from Edwards. Why let a consistent special teams contributor walk when you can keep him in the building at a relatively cheap price?
Cons of keeping him
Punter is arguably the most expendable position in football. Edwards has been a solid contributor, but not to the point where his return is an absolute must.
The Jets can opt to go with a cheaper, younger punter instead of shelling out a little bit of money. It all comes down to the route Douglas wishes to take when filling out his roster this offseason.
The verdict
Yes, the Jets can opt to go with a cheaper player at punter, but that wouldn’t be a wise move. Considering how often New York tends to punt, Douglas is likely better off turning to the veteran Edwards than a rookie or inexperienced specialist just to save a few bucks.
