In preparation for the 2024 season, the New York Jets went busy in free agency, and the trend continued into the NFL draft. It appears as if the franchise was hell-bent on bolstering their offense with any means necessary. Despite these noteworthy additions, the team also had to make a few cuts, the most recent being DE John Franklin-Myers, whose transformation story is worth telling.
After concluding the 2024 NFL draft, GM Joe Douglas and head man Robert Saleh answered a few questions to the press, where the John Franklin-Myers question eventually came up. Douglas gave a clear-cut answer to the query, noting,
“That was a difficult one,” Joe Douglas said of Franklin-Myers’ trade to the Broncos. “Because when we made the trade for Hassan (Reddick), we knew it was gonna be next to impossible to keep JFM at a salary.”
The Jets’ GM also revealed that the front office had notified JFM and his agent a few weeks back about exploring other opportunities, which materialized this Saturday. The Broncos agreed to the trade in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. While this was a business decision, Douglas and the front office had to proceed with a heavy heart. “I can’t tell you how much I love JFM,” he added.
He also shed light on John Franklin-Myers’ transformation in the Big Apple ever since the team claimed him off waivers from the Rams. The only thing Douglas knew about the star DE was that he had a sack in the Super Bowl against the Patriots before welcoming him to the club. But he proved his worth over the years, both as a player and as a father.
“Picking him up after coming from the Rams; the only thing we knew about him was that he had a sack in the Super Bowl that year against the Patriots,” Douglas recalled. “And seeing him develop as a player, as a person, as a man — you know, he is a great father. So that’s a difficult thing. And it’s an unfortunate part of the business… Denver got a hell of a player, I’ll say.”
Head coach Robert Saleh echoed Joe Douglas’ sentiment and expressed that it would be rather tough to rebuild the defense with key players like Franklin-Myers leaving for new scenery. He also asserted that when the former Lumberjacks star joined the Green Gang, there were more than a few “red flags,” but over the years, his character as a player and as a human significantly grew.
Notably, JFM was about to make $13.3 million in base salary this year and would have accounted for $16.4 million in the Jets’ cap space, as per AP News. Thus, it’s more than understandable why the club decided to part ways with one of their most explosive weapons. But at the same time, it doesn’t discount the moves they made in the draft.
New York Jets’ 2024 NFL Draft Recapped
The New York Jets’ D-Day in Detroit was strangely expected. They have already strengthened the offensive line with OT Morgan Moses, OT Tyron Smith, and G John Simpson. Yet, it was highly expected of the club to draft another left tackle to protect Aaron Rodgers’ blind side. And they did exactly that at 11 after trading down one spot with the Vikings.
For their 11th overall pick, the Green Gang picked up OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu out of Penn State. Since the franchise didn’t hold a second-round pick, in the third round, wideout Malachi Corley out of Western Kentucky, who has been often compared with Deebo Samuel, was selected at 65th overall. In the following round, A-Rod got help with a ball carrier, Braelon Allen, picked at 134.
In Round 5, the team opted for QB Jordan Travis (171) out of Florida State. The last two picks of the same round—RB Isiah Davis got picked at 173 and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers at 176. Interestingly, the Jets were the ones to land Mr. Irrelevant this year by selecting S Jaylen Key at 257.
With these additions, the Jets are poised to reach great heights this season. The club hasn’t won a Super Bowl since the moon landing and currently holds the longest playoff drought. Therefore, it’s expected that the AFC Powerhouses will aim to break the bad omen this year.
