Ever since Kirk Cousins spurned the Jets to sign with the Vikings last offseason, Minnesota has been able to keep players from singing with the Jets.
Anthony Barr left the Jets at the altar after agreeing to a deal this offseason because the Vikings sweetened their offer. Now we know that Minnesota prevented practice squad WR Jeff Badet from signing with New York in January by giving him a $75,000 signing bonus.
Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported over the weekend that Minnesota gave Badet a signing bonus in addition to his $495,000 base salary on a futures deal.
Badet played his college football at Oklahoma alongside Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield. During his senior campaign in 2017, Badet caught 26 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
The Jets had worked out Badet before he went undrafted in 2018 and kept an eye on’ him last season. When the Jets came calling, Badet was ready to come to New York but was swayed, like Barr, by a last-minute sweetener.
The Vikings giving that type of signing bonus on a futures deal means they either have big plans for Badet and couldn’t stand to see him sign with the Jets.
“The Jets were calling, so I was going to go there to the Jets,’’ Badet said. “It was between [the Jets and Vikings], but I wanted to be here, though.’’
Missing out on Badet forced New York to look elsewhere for receiver depth.
New York added to its receiver depth by signing reserves Josh Bellamy, Greg Dortch and Quadree Henderson this offseason. Badet would have been a nice camp addition with an outside shot of making the team.
